Candidate Information Seanad Éireann Election 2025

Publication of Ministerial Order (EU17) 

EU Section 17 - DU Publication of Ministerial Order

Information for Candidates

Please see below information for individuals interested in standing as a candidate for the University of Dublin panel.

Membership to Seanad Éireann is open to all Irish citizens over 21, but a senator cannot also be a member of Dáil Éireann.

The register in use for the election will be the 2024 Register of Electors. The closing date to make an application for inclusion on the 2024 Register was February 26, 2024.

NOMINATION REQUIREMENTS
The candidate must give their name and address, and a description, which, ‘in the opinion of the Returning Officer, is calculated sufficiently to identify the candidate’. (Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937).
Candidates must:

• have a Proposer, Seconder and eight (8) Assentors all of whom must be registered voters in the Register of Electors being used for any given election.
• submit one completed Form of Nomination.

Note: Candidates are encouraged liaise with the Academic Registry in order to confirm that their Proposer, Seconder and Eight Assentors are included in the Register being used for the purposes of election. 

PHOTO REQUIREMENTS
Section 56(d) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001 amended section 20 of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 to allow for the inclusion of a photograph of the candidate on the ballot paper in a Seanad election. The Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Prescribed Matters) (Amendment) Regulations 2002, as amended by the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Prescribed Matters) (Amendment) Regulations 2019, set out the required specification of a photograph for inclusion on a ballot paper. 

If a candidate wishes to have his or her photograph included on the ballot paper, they must provide with the nomination paper:

• A photograph in digitised format (passport size – 35mm x 45mm)

 
 AND

• Two identical printed copies of the photograph.

 
The photograph must be taken not more than 12 months prior to the day for the closing of the poll and must be of good quality, in colour and taken to a professional standard, showing the candidate’s full face, head and shoulders only, on a light background (any colour).

Each printed copy of the photograph must have the candidate’s name clearly shown on the back.

If the above requirements are not complied with, the returning officer may not include the photograph on the ballot paper. In these circumstances, or if no photograph is supplied, the space for the candidate’s photograph will be left blank on the ballot paper.
THE ONUS IS ON THE CANDIDATE TO MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS.

The Form of Nomination (EU 1) may be obtained from the Academic Registry, Watts Building, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Dublin 2 during the hours of 09:00 – 13:00 and 14:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday or by emailing academic.registry@tcd.ie

CLOSE OF NOMINATIONS

As per the Public Notice, the last day for receiving nominations, together with the required digital photograph and 2 identical printed copies of the photograph, is Friday,  6 December, 2024 in the Trinity Global Room, Watts Building, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, from 10 am to 12 noon.  Please note the photographic requirements detailed on EU1 form above.

Every candidate nominated by a nomination paper, and their , proposereconder and one other person nominated by him/her and no other persons (except assistants employed by the Returning Officer, Jennifer Pepper, (or her nominee)) shall be entitled to attend the proceedings during the receipt of, and ruling upon, the nomination papers.

Please note that the completed Form of Nomination may be submitted to the Academic Registry at any time prior to 6 December, 2024 for verification by the office prior to formal adjudication on the last day for receipt of nominations; we strongly encourage you to avail of this service in advance to ensure the correctness of the completed nomination form.   Also, we request that the details of the proposer, seconder, and assentors are provided to us in MS Word or MS Excel to facilitate identification and verification of details against the 2024 Register.

Any objections to a nomination paper should be made to the Returning Officer (or her nominee) between 10 am and 12 noon on 6 December 2024 and will be considered and ruled upon by the Returning Officer (or her nominee) during or as soon as possible following this period but not later than 1 pm on 6 December.

A candidate may before 1 pm on 6 December (and not later), withdraw from his/her candidature by delivering a notice to that effect, signed by him/her, to the Returning Officer (or her nominee).

If at 1pm on 6 December 2024 more candidates stand nominated than there are vacancies to be filled, the Returning Officer (or her nominee) shall adjourn the election and take a poll in accordance with the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937. 

Following closure of the proceedings a press release will be issued by the University.

Purchasing the Register

Anyone can request to purchase a copy of the 2024 University of Dublin Seanad Éireann electoral register for statutory purposes only and upon adherence to the provisions of the GDPR and the Data Protection Acts (1988 to 2018).  The register is provided in electronic format only on submission of the purchase form. 

The cost is calculated based on a set formula as prescribed in the legislation and currently costs the sum of €114.75 made payable by card.  Enquiries in relation to purchasing the register can be made, by phone at 00353 (0)1 896 4500 or by email to academic.registry@tcd.ie.

Litir Um Thoghchan – Free postage Scheme

Candidates in the Seanad elections can avail of the An Post Litir Um Thoghchan scheme in which election material will be mailed to constituents for any interested candidate in the election, free of charge.  Candidates will deal directly with An Post.
Each candidate is responsible for the production and printing of his/her own election material for this purpose.

The material must be in accordance with An Post’s specifications.
Free Post Scheme Specifications
Seanad Election Sample Card
Print Companies Contact Details

All other mailing of campaign material, plus design, printing and packing, are at the discretion of the candidate and at his/her own expense.

An Post Contact Details:

Myles Burke
An Post (Strategic Account Manager)
087-8508760 
myles.burke@anpost.ie

Damien Murray
An Post (Strategic Account Manager)
087-8508758 
damien.murray@anpost.ie

University of Dublin Senators

Of the sixty members of Seanad Éireann, three are elected by graduates of the University of Dublin. At present, the current University of Dublin senators are Senator Lynn Ruane and Senator Tom Clonan. The third seat was vacated by Senator David Norris.