Donegal Independent Pringle 'offered Seanad seat by Labour'

An Independent General Election candidate has claimed he was offered a Seanad seat by Labour in an effort to woo him to the party.

Donegal South West candidate Councillor Thomas Pringle has said he was approached in December by a senior member of the party to replace its already selected candidate, Councillor Frank McBrearty.

Councillor Pringle said he was offered a Seanad seat if he was unsuccessful in the election as a Labour candidate.

Given Labour's stance in favour of abolishing the Seanad, Cllr Pringle told Highland Radio the offer came as a surprise.

He said he put that to them and "they said that at least for the next Dáil term, the Seanad would be there and that they would have control over a number of seats."