Former TD Katherine Zappone bids to return to politics in Seanad

In 2021, she was at the centre of controversy after it was revealed by the Irish Examiner that she was to be offered a role as a UN envoy. It led to accusations of cronyism, as the job was not publicly advertised.

Ms Zappone, who now lives in New York, was asked by then-foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney to become Ireland’s special envoy — a job which involved 50 days a year of work and was worth €15,000 a year in pay.

She later said she would not take up the role after it became "clear that criticism of the appointment process has impacted the legitimacy of the role itself".

In a statement on Friday, 16 candidates were confirmed to be taking part in the Seanad elections on the University of Dublin panel, including Ms Zappone, former junior minister Ossian Smyth and former Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu.

Ballots for the election will be posted to registered voters on December 30, 2024, with the poll closing at 11am on January 29.

This is the last time that the University of Dublin constituency will elect three Senators to the upper house of the Oireachtas. From 2026, Trinity graduates, along with graduates of The National University of Ireland (NUI), will elect six Senators to the Seanad’s Higher Education constituency.

The current University of Dublin senators are Tom Clonan and Lynn Ruane, who are both seeking re-election. David Norris retired in January 2024.

Over 76,000 University of Dublin graduates are registered to vote.