Vote-counting starts in elections to Ireland's upper house

Dublin - Vote-counting was underway in elections to Ireland's upper house, or Seanad, national broadcaster RTE reported Monday. The ruling Fianna Fail (FF) party was hoping to hang on to its majority with coalition partners the Progressive Democrats (PDS) in the 60-seat body. In the outgoing Seanad, FF held 28 seats and the PDs five. The opposition Fine Gael party had 15 seats and its allied Labour Party had five. Independents held seven seats. The Seanad is not directly elected: 11 senators are appointed by the prime minister, six are elected by graduates of Trinity College Dublin and the National University of Ireland, and 43 are elected by county councillors and members of the government. The Seanad operates as a review body and can delay legislation from the lower house, or Dail, with which it disagrees. It does not have the power to veto legislation. FF won a third consecutive term in office in May in elections to the Dail. FF entered government with coalition partners the PDs, some independents and the Green Party. The Green Party does not currently have any senators. Vote-counting was expected to last until Friday. © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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