3 February 2025
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Laura Harmon has been elected to Seanad Éireann, making her the only woman in the Oireachtas representing Cork City as it currently stands (there are at least two County Cork Senators because Macroom Fine Gael councillor Eileen Lynch and former Fianna Fáil TD Margaret Murphy O’Mahony both won seats in the Seanad Elections).
The recent Cork City Councillor, Laura Harmon, was elected to the Seanad Industrial and Commercial Panel in sixth place out of nine candidates. On her election she had received the highest vote share of all candidates after transfers.
Laura Harmon. Picture: Conor McCabe Photography
The now Senator Laura Harmon said:
‘‘I’m so honoured to be elected to the Seanad and I will continue to represent Cork and the people of Cork South Central. My goal is to provide the highest level of public representation and service to people in Cork South Central. The main reason I was selected by Labour to run for the Seanad was because of the strong vote I got from people in the General Election, so I have people in Cork South Central to thank for this opportunity. I also want to thank my Council colleagues in different parties in Cork City and across the country for their support and friendship in this election.
‘‘My focus will be on housing, education, equality and working collaboratively with others for a better future for all. I find this is a very exciting time in Irish politics, not because of the current Government – but because I think the next election can offer a real choice of a progressive, centre-left Government. If we are to have a centre-left Government after the next election, it must also be a stable one. The Labour Party’s track record of stability and experience must be a central pillar if we are to succeed in building a unified left in Ireland.
‘‘I am excited by the momentum behind Labour, and in Cork City in particular. In Cork City, Labour is the fastest growing Party – we went from one Councillor to three Councillors, a TD and a Senator in just 8 months and our Party membership is growing.’’
About Laura Harmon
· Laura contested the Seanad NUI panel elections twice in 2016 and 2020 placing 5th on both occasions
· Laura was president of the Union of Students in Ireland ten years ago and led the students for marriage equality campaign
· She was head of voter mobilisation for the Together for Yes campaign in 2018
· She worked on Michael D. Higgins’ Get Out The Vote campaign in 2018 as a volunteer
· She is the eldest of five girls, grew up in Baile Bhúirne in the Gaeltacht and she lives in Wilton, Cork City
· She was elected to Cork City Council in June 2024, and so served just 8 months in Local Govt before being elected to National Govt
· She contested the General Election in Cork South Central in November 2024 and secured 3,005 first preference votes, trebling the Labour vote from 2020 and placing 8th in the 5 seater, but not being elected.