Clare Fm - Podcasts

An incumbent Clare Senator has defended the Seanad as a valid and worthwhile forum, ahead of the upcoming election. The upper house of the Oireachtas has come in for widespread criticism over the 11 seats appointed by the Taoiseach, which has been branded as a bargaining chip for coalition formation talks and a safety net for unsuccessful Dáil candidates. There are currently three Clare candidates in the race, namely Independent Anne-Marie Flannagan and Fine Gael's duo of Councillor Tony Mulcahy and Senator Martin Conway, while it's understood the party's Clarecastle General Election candidate Leonora Carey is also seeking nomination. Conway says if returned, one of his chief priorities will be to establish a national strategy for preventable sight loss.