WELL, WELL, WELL another election is it? 

It’s been the year of elections both nationally and internationally, and in Ireland we are rounding things off with a Seanad election for good measure. 

Well technically, polling for the Seanad election isn’t until January, but the ball is well and truly rolling so here is everything you need to know. 

Another one, now, really? 

Yes, a Seanad election must take place within 90 days of the Dáil being dissolved – this was done when Taoiseach Simon Harris went to Áras an Uachtaráin on 8 November ahead of the general election. 

Remind me, what is the Seanad? 

The Seanad is the upper house of the Irish parliament, or the Oireachtas as we call it. 

It is made up of 60 members, known as senators, who sit for a period of no more than five years. 

To become a senator you must be a citizen of Ireland and be 21 years of age or older.

The Seanad has a legislative role but is not as powerful as the Dáil. 

It can only delay laws with which it disagrees by a total of 90 days. It cannot stop them. It has no powers to delay a budget, but it can initiate legislation.

How are its members elected? 

The Seanad comprises a number of panels. 

Of the 60 senators, 49 are elected and 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach. 

Of the 49, six are elected directly by university graduates – three from what National University of Ireland graduates, and three from University of Dublin (Trinity) graduates. 

I thought this was being modernised?

It is – but not yet. 

In September of this year, the Government introduced a bill that will extend voting rights in Seanad elections to all graduates of higher education in Ireland.

The bill was introduced off the back of a Supreme Court ruling which held that the existing university electoral panels for Seanad Éireann are unconstitutional.

It was signed into law by President Higgins in October, but this election will continue to run under the old system. 

For all future Seanad elections, the existing University of Dublin constituency and the NUI constituency, will be replaced with a new six seater ‘Higher Education’ panel. 

Okay, so can I vote in this election? 

If you are a graduate of Trinity College then you can vote to elect the three senators in this panel. 

Currently, 16 candidates have been nominated to contest the University of Dublin election. 

The current University of Dublin senators are Tom Clonan and Lynn Ruane. The third seat was held by David Norris, who retired in January 2024. 

For the NUI panel, graduates of the universities of University College Dublin, University College Cork, University of Galway and Maynooth University can all vote. 

Some 12 candidates have been nominated to contest the NUI election.

Its three current senators are Michael McDowell, Alice-Mary Higgins and Rónán Mullen. All three are seeking re-election.

To check if you are on the register or make sure your address is correct you should email records@nui.ie or academic.registry@tcd.ie. The closing date for applications to the register was 26 February 2024.

How are the other 43 senators elected? 

The other 43 senators are elected by politicians from five special vocational panels. 

The five vocational panels are made up of candidates who are said to have knowledge and experience of the following areas:

• Cultural and Educational Panel (5 seats)- national language and culture, literature, art, education, law and medicine.
• Agricultural Panel (11 seats) – agricultural and allied interests and fisheries;
• Labour Panel (11 seats) – labour, whether organised or unorganised;
• Industrial and Commercial Panel (9 seats) - industry and commerce, including banking, finance, accountancy, engineering and architecture;
• Administrative Panel (7 seats) – public administration and social services, including voluntary social activities.

There are two ways a person can be nominated to run for one of these panels.

They can either be nominated by four TDs or outgoing senators, or are nominated by a registered nominating organisation.

The electorate for these panels are made up of members of the incoming Dáil, members of the outgoing Seanad, and members of county councils and city councils.

When is the election?

Nominations for the university panels closed last Friday, 6 December and the election for these six seats will be held by postal ballot.

Ballot papers will be posted to over 112,000 electors on the NUI Register and the 76,000 electors on the University of Dublin Register from 30 December 2024.

The poll will close on 29 January 2025 at 11.00am.

For the vocational panels, the deadline for nominees from nominating panels will be 18 December, while the deadline for nominees by members of the Oireachtas will be on 31 December. 

Ballot papers for these panels will then be issued on 15 January and polling will close on 30 January. 

The 11 Taoiseach nominees will be dependent on when government formation talks conclude and when we have a new Taoiseach decided. 

Who’s running in the University constituencies?  

University of Dublin (Trinity)

1. Abbas Ali O’Shea
2. Derek Byrne
3. Kevin Byrne
4. Hazel Chu
5. Tom Clonan 
6. Laoise De Brún
7. Hugo MacNeill
8. Marcus Matthews
9. Aubrey McCarthy
10. John (Jack) Mulcahy
11. Paul Mulville
12. Ade Oluborode
13. Sadbh O’Neill
14. Lynn Ruane
15. Ossian Smyth
16. Katherine Zappone

NUI Constituency

1. Sandra Adams
2. Hillary Thomas Joseph Beirne
3. Rónán Collins
4. Eva Dowling
5. Alice-Mary Higgins
6. Marie Keenan
7. Mairead Kenny
8. Dara Joseph Kilmartin
9. Michael McDowell
10. Rónán Thomas Mullen 
11. Michael O’Doherty
12. Linda Mary Patricia O’Shea Farren