Minister O’Brien makes Orders appointing dates and times for Seanad Éireann general election

The Minister for the Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, has made Orders appointing the dates and times, as set out below, for the forthcoming general election of Members to Seanad Éireann.

Under Article 18.8 of the Constitution a general election for the Seanad must take place not later than 90 days after a dissolution of the Dáil. The 33rd Dáil was dissolved by proclamation of the President on 8 November 2024, therefore, the Seanad election must take place not later than 6 February 2024. The Seanad is comprised of 60 members, 11 of whom are nominated by the Taoiseach. The remaining 49 seats are contested in a general election – 43 seats by way of an election for panel members and 6 seats by way of an election for university members. For both the panel and university members, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is required to make an order within 7 days after the dissolution of the Dáil appointing dates and times for the successive stages in the election process.

• the period for nominations by Nominating Bodies will expire at noon on Wednesday 18 December 2024
• the period for nominations by members of the Oireachtas will expire at noon on Tuesday 31 December 2024
• the Seanad Returning Officer will sit for the completion of the panels on Wednesday 8 January 2025
• the ballot papers will be issued to the electorate on Wednesday 15 January 2025
• the poll will close at 11am on Thursday 30 January 2025

• the period for nominations in the University constituencies will expire on Friday 6 December 2024
• the ballot papers will be issued to the electorate on Monday 30 December 2024
• the poll will close at 11am on Wednesday 29 January 2025

Currently, in Seanad general elections, the six University Members are elected by two three-seat constituencies, the National University of Ireland (NUI) and the University of Dublin (comprising graduates, and those who have obtained a Foundation or non-Foundation Scholarships from Trinity College Dublin). Under the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Act 2024, any Orders that give effect to timings and dates of polling for University Seats in Seanad General Elections, made after 21 March 2025, will be for a new six-seat ‘Higher Education’ constituency. The franchise for electing the ‘Higher Education’ Senators will be extended from graduates of the NUI and the University of Dublin to all graduates of Designated Institutions of Higher Education in Ireland who are Irish citizens who hold a degree and who are aged 18 or over. The NUI will be the Central Registration Authority, responsible for maintaining the Register of Electors.

Details of how the Seanad is elected, including information on Nominating Bodies, Panels and the Electorate, is set out in this leaflet: How the Seanad is Elected.