The death has taken place of former Tipperary Fianna Fail Deputy Sean Byrne.
A farmer before entering politics, he was unsuccessful on the first two occasions when he stood for election to Dáil Éireann, as a Fianna Fáil candidate in the Tipperary South constituency at the 1977 and 1981 general elections. He finally won a seat there at the February 1982 general election, and was re-elected at the November 1982 general election. At the 1987 general election he lost his seat to his Fianna Fáil colleague Noel Davern.
However, in the subsequent elections to the 18th Seanad Byrne was elected by the Cultural and Educational Panel.
He did not contest the 1989 general election, but was re-elected to the 19th Seanad.
In the 1992 general election he stood again in Tipperary South, but was not elected.
He was defeated in the 1993 election to the 20th Seanad, but was instead nominated by the Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds.
He contested the 1997 Seanad election on the Administrative Panel, but failed to win a seat and did not stand again.
He passed away this morning following an illness.
