Seanad Éireann comprises 60 members, who are elected to five vocational panels, from two university constituencies or nominated by the Taoiseach.

Following an election throughout January 2025, 11 members were elected to the agricultural panel from a field of 28 contestants.

The Seanad is the upper house of the Oireachtas and in theory, does not recognise political party membership. In practice, however, the make-up of the Seanad generally reflects the strength of the parties in the Dáil.

2025 agricultural panel

The new agricultural panel comprises the following senators:

Victor Boyhan has been an independent senator on agricultural panel since 2016 being the first independent councillor ever to be elected to the Seanad, and was re-elected on the first count in 2025.

From Dun Laoghaire, he previously served as a county councillor with Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council during the period 1999–2016.

Malcolm Noonan is a former minister of state and Green Party Carlow/Killkenny TD. He lost his Dáil seat in the 2024 general election.

He served as a city and county councillor in Kilkenny from 2004 to 2020 and was also former mayor of Kilkenny in 2009.

Before entering politics he spent 20 years as a community and environmental activist with Friends of the Earth and has an academic background in rural development.

Joanne Collins is a Sinn Féin party member from Askeaton, Limerick. She previously ran in the 2024 general election and local elections in Limerick but was unsuccessful.

She is a qualified special needs assistant (SNA).

Paul Daly has been a Fianna Fáil senator since 2016 and is a native of Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath.

Previously, Paul worked as a secondary school teacher in Kilbeggan. He is also a farmer and breeder of pure bred Aberdeen Angus cattle.

In 2008, Paul was co-opted to Westmeath County Council and was re-elected to the position in 2009 and 2014, serving as cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council in 2015/2016.

Eileen Lynch has served as a Fine Gael county councillor for the Macroom area of Cork since 2019.

She studied law and Irish at University College Cork (UCC) and works as a solicitor.

Born and bred in Knockrour, Aghabullogue, she previously worked as a parliamentary assistant in the Seanad with the Fine Gael spokespersons for health and agriculture.

She is currently serving as secretary general of the youth of the European People’s Party.

Sarah O’Reilly has been elected as Aontú’s first senator.

She was a member of Cavan County Council for the Bailieborough–Cootehill area from March 2016 to January 2025. She was co-opted onto the council in March 2016 as a Fianna Fáil member.

She sought election to the Dáil on both the 2020 and 2024 general elections but was unsuccessful. She has previously worked in agriculture and is an accountant by trade.

Paraic Brady had been serving as a Fine Gael Longford county councillor since 2014 and is a farmer and part-time builder living in Drumlish.

Paraic is well known in GAA circles and for his community activism.

Niall Blaney comes from a strong political family. A member of Independent Fianna Fáil until he joined Fianna Fáil in 2006, he served on Donegal County Council from 1999 to 2002 and then as a TD for the Donegal North-East constituency from 2002 to 2011.

He chose not to contest the 2011 general election and unsuccessfully contested the 2016 Seanad election before securing a Seanad seat in 2020.

He ran as a candidate in the Midlands–North-West constituency for the 2024 European Parliament elections, but was unsuccessful.

Teresa Costello is a former South Dublin Fianna Fáil county councillor for Tallaght. She ran in 2024 general election but was unsuccessful.

She is a Breast Cancer Ireland ambassador and has worked in the healthcare and pharmaceuticals industry.

Maria Byrne from Limerick has served as a Fine Gael senator since 2016. She previously served as a councillor on Limerick City and County Council from 1999 up until her election to Seanad Éireann.

During her time on the council, Maria also served as mayor of Limerick from 2010 to 2011.

PJ Murphy had served as a Fine Gael councillor on Galway County Council for the Gort-Kinvara Local Electoral Area up until his election to the Seanad in January 2025 and is from an agricultural background.

Outgoing senators on the agricultural panel, Tim Lombard (FG) from Cork and Eugene Murphy from Roscommon (FF), failed to get re-elected to the Seanad.

Galway’s Aisling Dolan, who was a Taoiseach’s nomination in the last Seanad, had sought election to the Seanad agricultural panel in this election, but was unsuccessful.

2025 agricultural panel

Related Stories:

Senator Boyhan wins third term in Seanad on the Agricultural Panel

Senator: Family farms ‘absolute priority’ in programme for govt

Does a new government mean a new impetus for agriculture?

Agricultural Panel

Who are the senators who make up the new agricultural panel?

Senator Boyhan wins third term in Seanad on the Agricultural Panel