Where was Niall Blaney last year?

expectationlost

From the Irish Times https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2024/12/01/overheard-clare-daly-gets-by-with-a-little-dublin-central-accommodation-help-from-her-friends/

Wondering why he wasnt in the Seanad for 5 months of last year,

Blaney had run unsuccessfully for Europe in the Midlands-North-West constituency, complaining during a press conference with party leader Micheál Martin that he wasn’t getting enough support from the party. More frequent trips to Leinster House might be in order if he wishes to improve relations with colleagues. Last year Blaney, who did not respond to queries, fobbed into the Seanad on only 21 occasions, even though there were 61 sitting days. And at one point, he went a full five months without showing up.

It seems like his attendance was "rectified" perhaps due to illness etc, but if he was ill or unable to attend the Seanad for 5 months how was he during that time able to actively campaign to be an MEP?

Compare the records in the TAA records and his lack of debate contributions in 2024 https://www.kildarestreet.com/search/?s=20240101..20241231&pid=31

https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/members/recordAttendanceForTaa/2025/2025-02-17_senators-verification-of-attendance-for-the-payment-of-taa-01-january-2024-to-30-november-2024_en.pdf

Earlier... https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/members/recordAttendanceForTaa/2024/2024-11-01_senators-verification-of-attendance-for-the-payment-of-taa-01-january-2024-to-30-september-2024_en.pdf

muffler

If he was ill, he was ill. Why the interest?

expectationlost

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123767130#Comment_123767130

Did you not read this bit, if he was ill or unable to attend the Seanad for 5 months how was he during that time able to actively campaign to be an MEP?

https://twitter.com/BrendanSmithTD/status/1787852151122771982

The Irish Times did its due diligence and asked him about it, if he had told them he was sick, they may have even decided not to report his absence at all, but Blaney chose not to get back to them… (Although I don't know how the Irish Times couldn't visit him at his offices and ask in person).

My interest isn't in Blaney particularly, its journalism and how even the Donegal News say it couldn't ever speak to Blaney about it but managed to cover his family 100 years in politics celebration…

https://www.donegalcoco.ie/en/news/2025/july/blaney-family-honoured-with-civic-reception-for-100-years-of-continuous-political-representation-on-donegal-county-council