Solidarity's Ruth Coppinger to contest Seanad election after losing Dáil seat
by Stephen McNeiceSolidarity politician Ruth Coppinger is to contest the upcoming Seanad election after losing her seat in the Dáil.
Ms Coppinger was the only Solidarity - People Before Profit TD to lose her seat in the general election, narrowly missing out on re-election after the Green's Roderic O'Gorman was elected in the Dublin West constituency in the final count.
Today, Ms Coppinger confirmed she will be a candidate in the Seanad elections for the NUI constituency.
If elected, she is pledging to use the platform in the upper house of the Oireachtas to "continue organising on the unfinished business of workers and women’s rights".
Speaking after handing in her nomination papers, Ms Coppinger said: "If elected, I would ensure a strong socialist feminist voice is [in the Seanad] for important issues that lie ahead.
"Last night I consulted with people in Dublin west with whom I've worked on causes such as ASD education provision, with minority communities, against evictions, for investment in our communities, for animal rights and many more. They were supportive of my stance."
A total of six senators are elected by NUI and Trinity College graduates.
Nominations are being accepted until today, with polling lasting from the end of this month until the end of March.
Other candidates seeking election in the NUI constituency include LGBT and women's rights campaigner Laura Harmon and the outgoing senator Alice-Mary Higgins.