Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has officially announced the schedule for the upcoming Seanad Éireann general election, setting in motion a carefully timed democratic process that will shape Ireland’s upper house of parliament.
The election, which must take place within 90 days of the Dáil’s dissolution on November 8, 2024, will determine 49 of the Seanad’s 60 seats. The remaining 11 seats will be filled through nominations by the Taoiseach.
The election process is split into two distinct streams. For Panel Members, who will occupy 43 seats, key dates include:
- Nominating Bodies must submit their nominations by noon on December 18, 2024
- Oireachtas members’ nominations close at noon on December 31, 2024
- Final voting will conclude on January 30, 2025
For the six University Members, the timeline is slightly different:
- Nominations close on December 6, 2024
- Final votes must be cast by January 29, 2025
Notably, this will be one of the last Seanad elections under the current university constituency system. Starting after March 21, 2025, a new ‘Higher Education’ constituency will be introduced, expanding voting rights to graduates of all designated Irish higher education institutions who hold Irish citizenship.
This reform marks a significant democratization of the Seanad’s university seats, moving beyond the traditional limitation to graduates of the National University of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin.