New Limerick Senator reveals where she was when Taoiseach's call came

NEWLY-appointed Senator Dee Ryan has revealed she was standing in her local post office and supermarket when she got the call from the Taoiseach to say she had been appointed to the Upper House.

Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin called the former Chamber chief executive on Friday to give her the news that she was one of the 11 nominees to Seanad Eireann.

“I was just standing in the SuperValu in Castleconnell in my leggings and my runners, having just popped into use the post office and grab some groceries. A number I didn’t recognise came up. I answered and it was Micheál Martin,” said the former Limerick Chamber chief executive.

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Ms Ryan, who was the last party candidate in the race to become Limerick’s first directly elected mayor, and was Willie O’Dea’s running mate in the General Election, admits she cannot remember much of the conversation.

“It was an amazing phone call to get. I was just so excited I couldn’t take it all in,” she added.

It is a case of fourth time lucky for Ms Ryan - she missed out on a Seanad seat on the Industrial and Commercial Panel following the General Election.

But following her appointment, she becomes the third Limerick-based member of Seanad Eireann joining Joanne Collins, Sinn Fein and Maria Byrne, Fine Gael.

After missing out on her first attempt for the Seanad, she wrote to Mr Martin asking to be considered as one of the 11 appointments agreed between himself and Tanaiste Simon Harris.

“I had been a nervous wreck for most of the week. I knew there was a huge number (of people seeking a nomination) and I knew there were an awful lot of people he would be considering. There was no indication until I got the call. So I was thrilled,” she said.

“It’s important Limerick has as many strong voices representing it as possible at national level, and that’s certainly what I’ll be doing. I’ll be advocating for the projects and the issues which are really important to us in Limerick,” Ms Ryan added.

She has already pledged to raise the floating off-shore wind energy projects which could provide a jobs bounty to West Limerick, having already served on an economic taskforce related to it.

The new Seanad met for the first time at Leinster House on Wednesday afternoon. Ms Ryan was joined by friends and family.