Introduction
There are two elections administered
by NUI in which graduates of all the Constituent
Universities and Recognised Colleges of the
National University of Ireland are eligible
to vote, under certain conditions: Seanad
Éireann Elections
and Convocation Elections.
The Seanad Eireann Election is governed by State
legislation while the Convocation Elections
are governed by University Statutes.
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Seanad Éireann Elections
The legal basis for the Seanad Éireann
elections is The Irish Constitution, Bunreacht
na hÉireann, Article 18(4) and the relevant
Act is the Seanad Electoral (University Members)
Act, 1937, as amended. Under that Act, the National
University of Ireland Constituency elects three
members of Seanad Éireann. Dublin University,
also known as Trinity College Dublin, constituency
also elects three members of Seanad Éireann.
The Constitution was amended in 1979 to allow
for legislation whereby the University constituencies
would include other third level institutions
and the election would be '...of so many
members of Seanad Éireann as may be fixed
by law in substitution for an equal number of
the members to be elected...' pursuant
to Article 18(4)(1). To date no further legislation
has been enacted.
Seanad Eireann Elections take place within
90 days of the dissolution of Dáil Éireann
- the NUI panel for the Seanad Eireann Election
is strictly a postal vote.
Presuming that more than three candidates are
nominated, ballot papers are issued to all registered
graduates.
See list of Institutions
in the NUI Constituency (pdf format).
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The NUI Seanad Éireann Register
In accordance with the provisions of the Seanad
Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937, the
Seanad Register is revised annually, to be published
on 1st June each year. The revised Register
reflects all amendments received since the previous
revision, and includes the names of graduates
who have claimed to be registered in that period
and who are otherwise eligible.
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NUI Seanad Éireann Register
of Electors: How to Register
As provided by the 1937 Act, the Seanad Register
is maintained by NUI and updated annually. Registration
Claim Forms are issued to graduates at the time
of conferring; however any NUI graduate may
request a Registration Form at any time.
NUI graduates (who are otherwise eligible to
vote) who return completed Registration Claim
Forms to the NUI office by 26th February in
any given year, will be listed in the NUI Seanad
Éireann Register to be published on the
1st June in that same year.
Click below to download the Registration form:
English
Version
Irish
Version
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Removal of Names from the Register
In the annual revision of the Seanad Register,
the names of graduates whose death has been
notified to the Registration Officer are removed.
Under Section 56(f)(ii) of the Seanad Electoral
(Amendment) Act 2001, the Registration Officer
is further authorised to remove the name of
any graduate ‘after reasonable enquiry
by the registration officer, whose address or
the address to which the ballot paper is to
be sent is unknown’.
Graduates whose names have been removed under
the above provision are no longer entitled to
vote. However those graduates who wish to become
eligible again to vote in future Seanad Éireann
elections should complete and return a Registration
Claim Form, available, on request, from NUI's
office.)
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NUI Seanad Éireann Edited Register
of Electors
NUI graduates – other than honorary
graduates - who are citizens of Ireland, and
who are registered, may vote in Seanad Éireann
elections (NUI constituency). In this regard,
NUI is statutorily bound to revise and publish
the Seanad Éireann Register annually.
As from 2005, as provided by Section 56 of
the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001, the Registration
Officer is further obliged to publish a second
version of the Seanad Éireann Register,
namely the Edited Seanad Éireann Register.
In accordance with the provisions of the Acts:
1. The ordinary Seanad Register
will be used for statutory purposes only, including
the conduct of
Seanad elections.
The Registration
Officer is obliged, on request and on payment
of a fee,
to supply a copy
of the NUI Seanad Éireann Register to
any person.
2. The Edited Seanad Register
will be used for purposes other than statutory
purposes,
including commercial purposes.
The
Registration Officer is obliged, on request
and on payment of a fee,
to supply
a copy of the NUI Seanad Éireann Register
to any person.
Any NUI graduate who is listed on the ordinary
Seanad Éireann Register may also claim
to be registered on the Seanad Edited Register.
