Following Michael Darcy’s sudden retirement from politics, there’s a Seanad seat up for grabs. Pat Deering is first out of the blocks to register his interest. The Carlow dairy farmer was well-regarded as chair of the Oireachtas Agriculture committee in the last Dáil, but lost his seat in February’s election. “The agricultural sector needs representation,” he has told me. “Brexit could cause devastation. Now is no time for a novice to be representing farmers.”