The late Harry Blaney with his wife Margaret, son Niall and former taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
FORMER Fianna Fáil TD Niall Blaney has been elected to Seanad Éireann.
Mr Blaney re-enters politics nine years after he pulled out of the 2011 general election campaign just a month before polling day.
Mr Blaney failed in his bid to be elected to the upper house in 2016 while he was also unsuccessful in a Seanad by-election in 2018. Last year he narrowly failed to secure a Fianna Fáil nomination for the European elections in the Midlands/North West constituency.
Shortly after midnight he was deemed to be elected following the fifteenth count.
First elected to the Dáil as a member of Independent Fianna Fáil in 2002, Mr Blaney (46) joined Fianna Fáil in 2006 and successfully retained his seat in 2007 before pulling out of the 2011 election campaign just a month before polling day.
There was less joy for outgoing Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill who failed in his bid to be re elected to the upper house of the Oireachtas. He was excluded on the 12th count.
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