Seanad Elections
- Published on: 31 March 2016
- Last updated on: 20 November 2024
A Seanad election must take place not later than 90 days after the dissolution of the Dáil. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage makes an order setting the dates for the various stages of the election. The stages include:
- receipt of nominations
- issuance of ballot papers
- closing of poll
- counting of the votes
The elections are held on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and by secret postal ballot.
The next Seanad General Election will commence in December 2024. Six University seats will be elected by graduates of the National University of Ireland (3 seats) and graduates and Foundation and non-Foundation Scholars of the University of Dublin (Trinity College Dublin) (3 seats). Forty-three Panel Members will be elected from panels of candidates representing specified vocational interests. They will be elected by Members of the incoming Dáil, the outgoing Seanad and members of elected councils.
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.
Candidate Spending and Donation Limits
Expenditure
There are no expenditure limits prescribed for Seanad elections.
Donations
The following rules apply for donations:
- the maximum amount that can be accepted in the same calendar year by a senator or by a candidate standing in a Seanad election from the same source is 1,000 euro
- details of donations which exceed 600 euro must be disclosed in a statement made to the Standards in Public Office Commission
- a candidate or senator who receives a monetary donation that exceeds 100 euro must open and maintain a political donations account in a financial institution
Certain donations are restricted:
- it is prohibited to accept a donation from an anonymous source which exceeds 100 euro
- donations in cash which exceed 200 euro are also prohibited
There are specific rules covering corporate donations which exceed 200 euro:
- the donor must be registered with the Standards in Public Office Commission and
- the donor must provide evidence that the donation was approved by the corporate body
Guidelines on the donation rules that apply at Seanad elections are available from the Standards in Public Office Commission.
Further information can be found in the relevant legislation, including the Electoral Act,1997.