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New Seanad university constituency planned

The Government has approved legislation that would extend the Seanad university franchise and set up a new six-seat constituency.

Under the bill, graduates of any designated institution of higher education in Ireland aged 18 or over, who are Irish citizens, would be eligible to vote in the new ‘Higher Education’ constituency.

Currently, the six university members are elected by graduates of the National University of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin, with three seats in each constituency.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said that the text of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024 would be published “shortly”.

Registration role for NUI

Under the proposals, the National University of Ireland will be the Central Registration Authority (CRA), responsible for maintaining the Register of Electors.

The CRA will appoint a Chief Registration Officer (CRO). There will be provision in the bill for a registration officer in each institution, who will be required to assist the CRO in the provision of information they hold, so that an applicant’s claim can be verified.

The general scheme of the bill was published in May.

The drafting of a bill followed a Supreme Court decision last year to suspend until 31 May 2025 a declaration that the laws governing the elections of Seanad University Panels were invalid. The court had earlier upheld a challenge to the constitutionality of the laws.