Signing of Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024

05.11.2024

Signing of Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024

National University of Ireland notes with pleasure that Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins signed into law the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024. NUI has long been an advocate for the expansion of the franchise for Seanad Éireann elections in line with the Seventh Amendment of the Constitution (Election of Members of Seanad Éireann by Institutions of Higher Education) from 1979.

“NUI has considerable experience of creating and maintaining Registers of
Electors and running elections for Seanad Éireann. We were keen to support the
HE sector and particularly those newly included in the Bill to embrace this new
opportunity for their graduates. Following consultation across the sector, we expressed
an interest and ultimately were designated as the Central Registration Authority
for the new constituency.”

Dr Patrick O’Leary
NUI Registrar

NUI has been working since the early autumn on plans for this project, enjoying great support from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and from all of the higher education institutions. NUI will shortly start communicating on how registration for the new constituency will work and will roll out a number of resources to support as many people as possible registering.

The NUI Seanad Éireann constituency was established in 1938, following the provision in the 1937 Constitution for university representation, being one of two university constituencies. The inclusion of university constituencies was to have a body of senators with a diverse educational and professional background. The other constituency was that of University of Dublin (Trinity College Dublin). Since then, NUI has run 25 elections successfully.

Below are a number of key pieces of information at this point:

The next Seanad Éireann election will run under the old system with two 3-seat constituencies elected by voting of NUI and TCD graduates. This will use the existing registers.
Any subsequent Seanad Éireann election will be via the new six seat constituency.
The Act specifies the institutions whose graduates will be able to register and that to be able to register the person must be an Irish Citizen, of at least 18 years of age and hold a degree from a designated institution.
The process for registration for the new register will involve all electors. Registered voters on the current NUI and TCD registers will have to register anew to vote in the new constituency.

The Designated institutions are:

Atlantic Technological University Dublin City University Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology Dundalk Institute of Technology Maynooth University Munster Technological University (MTU) National College of Art and Design (NCAD) National University of Ireland (NUI) Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) South East Technological University Technological University Dublin Technological University of the Shannon Midlands Midwest Trinity College Dublin University College Cork University College Dublin University of Galway University of Limerick

Historic institutions will be included for example Cork IT and Cork RTC who are historic institutions of MTU.

Affiliated institutions will also be included if the degree is a degree of the designated institution for example the Institute of Public Administration is a recognised college of NUI and their degrees are NUI degrees so IPA degrees will be accepted.

Further information from:

Dr Patrick O'Leary
Registrar
National University of Ireland
49 Merrion Square
Dublin 2, D02 V583
Ph: 01 4392424
www.nui.ie
Twitter: @NUIMerrionSq
Facebook: National University of Ireland

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