DONEGAL will have at least two representives in Seanad Éireann following elections to the upper house of the Oireachtas this week.

Former Fianna Fáil TD Niall Blaney was a successful candidate in the agricultural panel on Tuesday night while Termon native Senator Robbie Gallagher joined via him via the Labour panel this evening.

Senator Gallagher is a former Garda and estate agent. The Monaghan based Fianna Fáil politician has served as a Senator for the Labour Panel since 2016. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the general election in Cavan-Monaghan earlier this year. He was elected after exceeding the quota on the eighth count.

Ms Eileen Ní Fhloinn (30), who lives in Ardara with her husband Liam Whyte and their baby daughter Billie, is bidding to become the first Traveller elected to the Oireachtas.

She is running for the Seanad on the Labour panel having been nominated by Killybegs Independent TD Thomas Pringle and three People before Profit TDs, namely Brid Smith, Gino Kenny and Richard Boyd Barrett.

At the time of going to press, Ms Ní Fhloinn was was twelve votes shy of the quota, which stands at 94,417, on 82,000. There are eleven seats on offer through the Labour panel and while Ms Ní Fhloinn was sixth after the eighth count she might struggle to garner support from excluded candidates.

There was disappointment 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 in the agricultural panel election.