Kenny Vows To Abolish Seanad Despite FG Winning 18 Seats

Counting is complete in what might turn out to be the last ever Seanad elections. Fine Gael won the most seats - 18, an increase of four on the 2007 elections, while Labour increased its representation by two to nine seats.

Sinn Fein also gained seats, winning three from the vocational panels.

Fianna Fail lost seats, which was expected and their tally of 14 seats is better than some had predicted.

Others account for five seats.

Attention is now turning to the Taoiseach's nominations - Enda Kenny is entitled to make 11 appointments.

While these are usually selected from within the party fold, there is speculation that Mr Kenny will make chose some nominees from outside politics.

He will, of course, be careful to ensure the government coalition retains a majority in the Upper House.

43 of the 60 seats come from vocational panels, with six more coming from two university panels.

The remaining 11 are in the gift of the sitting Taoiseach.

Enda Kenny has proposed putting the abolition of the Seanad to the people in a referendum, and he has already instructed the Attorney General to begin drafting the legislation necessary.

"This could be the last term. It is a matter for the people to decide when asked the question," he said, "It can't be abolished obviously without the imprimatur of the people."

Mr Kenny indicated he will make his nominations to the Seanad next week after he returns from his trip to the United States.

The Taoiseach is attending a number of business and economic meetings here in the coming week, including an address to the Ireland Fund.