Mairia Cahill likely to take ‘Donegal’ Seanad seat for the Labour Party

Mairia Cahill is set to become a member of the Seanad.

It's been confirmed  that she’s joined Labour - who are putting her forward in a by-election to take place next month.

The Seanad has a vacant seat following the recent retirement, due to ill health, of Labour’s Jimmy Harte.

Under government convention, the party to whom the last senator belonged is the party that gets to put forward the replacement.

Tonight Joan Burton has written to members of Labour’s parliamentary party to confirm that Mairia Cahill has joined the party and will be their candidate.

Because only existing TDs and Senators are entitled to vote, it means Ms Cahill is almost certain to win the seat and become a Senator next month.

She rose to prominence a year ago when she raised allegations that the IRA had convened a so-called ‘kangaroo court’, at which she was forced to come face to face with a man she claims had raped her.

Earlier this year she was given a ‘Thirst For Justice’ award by the Labour Party - and now she’s set to become its latest member of the Oireachtas.