Senator Paul Daly after he was elected to Seanad Éireann, Agricultural Panel, last week, with family and supporters including his mother Mary Daly and partner Bernie McCarthy; at the back of the group is Cllr Cathal Haughey, Senator Daly’s secretarial assistant, a grandson of Charlie Haughey, of whom Senator Daly says he “could or would not have done it without his help and support”.

'Delight and pride' for Senator Daly

Seanad Éireann elections

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“Sheer delight and pride” were the emotions experienced by Senator Paul Daly when he was re-elected for another term to Seanad Éireann, on the Agricultural Panel.

“It was my third time elected and it doesn’t get any easier, but I take it as an endorsement by the Seanad electorate that I must be doing something right,” he told the Westmeath Examiner.

Paul got 54 votes when he was first elected to the Seanad in 2016, and 71 votes in his last contest. This time, he received 83 votes. “If it’s not broken don’t fix it,” Paul said, explaining that he plans “to do more of the same” during this term in office.

“The Seanad was designed with a view to getting people in from the different vocational panels, people who have experience on the ground and can represent that sector with hands-on experience and be a voice from that sector for that sector,” he said.

A farmer from Kilbeggan, Senator Daly is well equipped to serve on the Agricultural Panel, where he has been “very vocal and forthright” in his views on farming and farm families.

A major concern for him is the number of casualties and fatalities due to farm accidents, which “is higher than in any other sector”.

“It is the one life and death issue in the sector. All other issues are day-to-day production issues and are important,” but farm safety is one of his top priorities.

He explained that he already has legislation in the pipeline in this regard in the Farm Safety Agency Bill, and he intends to pursue that as well as other issues that are of priority for him.

Senator Daly said that he is indebted to all those who supported him in his election campaign.

“It was a tough campaign because of the time of year,” he pointed out.

Candidates visit all 26 counties to lobby county councillors, he said. “It was happening up to, during and after Christmas. Christmas was cancelled in my house this year,” he said, adding that he was grateful to his partner Bernie, his mother Mary, his immediate family and close friends: “I am indebted to them,” he said.

In 2008, Paul was co-opted to Westmeath County Council and was re-elected in 2009 and 2014, and served as cathaoirleach of the council in 2015/16.

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