TAOISEACH ENDA Kenny is not expected to announce his list of 11 nominees for membership of Seanad Éireann until next week, according to Government sources.
It is understood many requests and appeals for nominations have been sent to the Taoiseach but he will not announce his decisions until next week.
There is speculation that Mr Kenny may nominate two politicians from Northern Ireland, one from the SDLP, the other from a liberal unionist background.
The incoming Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privileges is to consider an agreement between outgoing leader of the Seanad Donie Cassidy and TG4 to broadcast an hour of proceedings from the Upper House on Thursday mornings.
Mr Cassidy, who lost his seat in the recent election, said last night that the proposal had been to broadcast the Order of Business live, “on a pilot basis”.
The Taoiseach is to fly to New York tomorrow for a brief visit to promote investment in Ireland by meeting executives, financial journalists and members of the Irish-American business community. He is a special guest, along with Muhammad Ali, at a gala dinner of the American Ireland Fund on Thursday, which is expected to raise more than $2.5 million (€1.68 million) for charity.
There was no comment yesterday from the Taoiseach’s office on a suggestion by Fianna Fáil Senator Darragh O’Brien that Mr Kenny should nominate a representative of the Irish diaspora to the Seanad.
