Dermot Cantillon aiming to give the industry a much-needed voice in high places

The quest to form a government will dominate the Irish political agenda for the next few weeks, possibly months, as the parties attempt to deal with the unprecedented arithmetic produced by the general election of February 8.

Meanwhile, public representatives will soon be involved in the election of 43 members of the 60-person upper house, the Seanad Eireann, and the world of Irish racing and breeding will have a runner in that race.

Dermot Cantillon, a former chairman of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association and current chairman of Naas, is standing for election on the agricultural panel, one of five 'vocational' panels designed to broaden participation in the parliamentary process.