Delighted to represent the people of Kildare in Seanad Éireann - new Senator
Fianna Fáil Senator Fiona O'Loughlin talks about being re-elected to the Seanad
Fianna Fáil's Fiona O'Loughlin may have been unsuccessful in securing a seat in Kildare South in November's general election, but having recently been elected to Seanad Éireann for a second term, she approaches the role with renewed vigour and enthusiasm.
The veteran politician served as a TD for the Kildare South constituency from 2016 to 2020.
"Oh, I'm very happy about it, like I absolutely believe in politics as a way of doing things in terms of raising issues, responding to challenges”, she tells KildareNow this week of her re-election to Seanad Éireann.
"I spent my life nearly in politics in some form or another at local level and at national level. Obviously I had hoped to be elected to the Dáil to represent the people of Kildare South, but that wasn't to be by the tiniest of margins.
"I genuinely believed and got great encouragement from the party leadership that I had a future and anything that I can do to support investment into Kildare, to support those who need supports I'm prepared to do it, and this is one way.
"Obviously you don't have the same power as such as in the Dáil, but it is a way of getting things done, and I proved that last time. I brought through three pieces of legislation that's important to Kildare and important to Ireland. I intend to work every bit as hard in the upcoming term, and hopefully that's five years."
Senator O'Loughlin says the main priorities she will focus on for Kildare at a national level is the 'fair fares' implementation, the roll-out of rural transport, securing a second bridge for Newbridge, and the protection of the Curragh Plains.
Apart from that, it will be supporting local Kildare businesses, supporting smaller rural communities, "because in Kildare of course we have as much rural as urban."
"We particularly saw that in the aftermath of the storm," she adds, "we could see where infrastructure was impacted in our rural communities far more so. So in terms of investment in that infrastructure."
But was Senator O'Loughlin disappointed not to secure that coveted South Kildare seat in the general election last November?
"Yeah I was, I got the highest first preference in the country not to get a seat. I got 17.9% first-preference vote and there was people elected to the Dáil on half the vote that I got.
"But so be it, yes I was disappointed, but I took heart that 7,500 people voted for me as their first choice. And I've been overwhelmed by the messages of support that I received afterwards. It was clear that people wanted me to continue on a political road map."
As the first female to have been elected TD in her native Kildare, Senator O'Loughlin says she is pleased with the level of female representation in the Seanad, which at the moment stands at 20 out of 49 members.
This number will improve again, she is confident, once the Taoiseach and Tanaiste make their nominations for the remaining posts.
As Chair of the women's Caucus during the last term, Senator O'Loughlin was able to help secure maternity leave for female councillors and female Oireachtas members.
While she concedes that by being in the Senate, one does not have a constituency mandate, there is a mandate nevertheless which can be used at a national level to advocate for change.