RTÉ Sports broadcaster Evanne Ní Chuilinn has been nominated to the Seanad for Fine Gael.

The Taoiseach announced his 11 nominees to the senate this evening.

Evanne Ní Chuilinn is the real surprise among the 11 names with the broadcaster stepping away from RTÉ to become a Senator as one of Tánaiste Simon Harris' five picks.

Five of Micheál Martin's six appointments for Fianna Fáil are women - with all six being failed Dáil election candidates.

They are former broadcaster Alison Comyn, former Senator Lorraine Clifford Lee, Limerick's Dee Ryan, Imelda Goldsboro of Tipperary and former TDs Anne Rabbitte and Joe Flaherty.

Simon Harris has focused on areas Fine Gael has no Dáil seat - reappointing Nikki Bradley in Donegal and Manus Boyle in the same county - while promoting Roscommon's Gareth Skehill and Cork South West's Noel O'Donovan.

Simon Harris (L) with Evanne Ní Chuilinn (R). 07/02/2025 Image: Instagram