TODAY MARKED THE close of nominations for this year’s Seanad Éireann election – and the nominees for the university panels include current senators, people who just contested for a Dáil seat, psychologists, reporters, consultants and university lecturers.

The Seanad is made up of 60 senators, 11 of whom are appointed by the Taoiseach, three who are elected by graduates of Trinity College Dublin, three elected by graduates of the National University of Ireland, and 43 elected from five vocational panels of nominees by an electorate made up of TDs, senators and local councillors.

The nominees for the University of Dublin Seanad elections are:

• Ivana Bacik, Senator
• Sean Barrett, Associate Professor (Economics); Senator
• Sabina Brennan, Professor of Psychology
• Thomas Clonan, carer, journalist, academic, Captain (Retired)
• Oisín Coghlan, Director, Friends of the Earth
• Maeve Cox, barrister
• Edward Davitt, communications officer
• Eoin Meehan, IT consultant
• Sean Melly, businessman, professor (adjunct)
• David Norris, Senator
• Averil Power, Senator
• William Priestley, director of youth services
• Lynn Ruane, President, TCDSU
• Anthony Staines, Professor of Health Systems
• Ethna Tinney, musician, formerly RTE Producer

Here are the 30 nominees for the National University of Ireland constituency:

• Jerry Beades, director
• David Begg, former CEO of Concern and ICTU general secretary
• Deirdre Burke, solicitor
• Pádraig Ó Céidigh, entrepreneur
• Paul D’Alton, clinical psychologist
• Martin Daly, medical doctor/general practitioner
• Máire Darker Daly, voluntary worker
• Karen Devine, lecturer
• Owen Joseph Dinneen, member of governing body UCC, Senate of NUI and Munster branch IRFU
• Luke Field, university tutor
• Pearce Flannery, businessman
• Ross Golden-Bannon, journalist
• Laura Harmon, former USI-President; women’s and equality advocate
• Aideen Hayden, Senator, chair of Threshold, solicitor
• Rory Hearne, policy analyst
• Alice-Mary Higgins, policy coordinator, National Women’s Council of Ireland, advocate for social and economic equality
• Higgins, John, community affairs consultant
• Carol Hunt, journalist
• Barry Johnston, human rights campaigner
• Christy Kenneally, communications consultant, writer, broadcaster
• Michael McDowell, senior counsel
• Daragh McGreal, economist and law lecturer
• Michael Sean Molloy, hospital consultant
• Paddy Monahan, barrister
• Rónán Thomas Mullen, Senator
• Eddie Murphy, clinical psychologist, mental health advocate, author
• Padraig O’Coineen Enda, entrepreneur, sportsman, suthor
• Ellen O’Malley Dunlop, CEO, psychotherapist, teacher
• Brendan Price, Biology Institute Ireland, director, Irish Seal Sanctuary, wildlife advocate and author
• Kieran Rose, planner, commissioner, Irish human rights and equality commission

The election will be done by postal ballot, with papers posted to over 100,000 electors internationally from 21 March. The poll will close on 26 April.

Read: Former justice minister Michael McDowell and ex-union boss David Begg to run for Seanad>

Read: The government won’t be doing any Seanad reform after all>

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More