Nomination procedures

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Candidates must be Irish citizens over the age of 21. Candidates can be nominated by two methods:

1:by Oireachtas members (Inside panel)

2: Or via Nominating bodies. (outside nomination)

 Nominating bodies are organisations that are connected to the particular vocation, for example the Irish Congress of Trade Unions can nominate in the Labour panel, and the Royal Irish Academy can nominate in the Cultural and Education panel.


Who Votes? The electorate is restricted to elected Councillors, TDs and Senators the political parties have a great influence in the nomination procedures. 
Panels  The composition of Seanad Éireann is defined in outline by Article 18 of the Constitution of Ireland, which provides for 11 appointees of the Taoiseach, six senators elected by the universities, and five vocational panels which together elect 43 members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland.


Administrative Panel     7 seats (Min of 3 from each Sub panel)

Agricultural Panel         11seats (Min of 4 from each Sub panel)       
Cultural and Educational Panel   5 seats (Min of 2 from each Sub panel)

 Industrial and Commercial Panel  9 seats (Min of 3 from each Sub panel)

 Labour Panel  11 seats (Min of 4 from each Sub panel)


 What does it  mean by Sub panel?

 There are inside and outside nominations. Inside nominations are via the Oireachtas/Political Parties. Outside nominations are the nominating bodies and are organisations that are connected to the particular vocation. There is a guaranteed minimum number of members that can be elected from each sub-panel. This was designed to allow nominating bodies a greater influence in the election of Senators

List of nominating bodies

Administrative Panel
  • Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland

  • Central Remedial Clinic

  • Enable Ireland Disability Services

  • General Council of County Councils

  • Irish Deaf Society

  • Irish Kidney Association

  • Irish Wheelchair Association

  • Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland

  • National Association for the Mentally Handicapped of Ireland

  • People with Disabilities in Ireland

Agricultural Panel
  • Agricultural Science Association

  • Central Fisheries Board

  • Dairy Executives' Association

  • Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association

  • Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society

  • Irish Grain and Feed Association

  • Irish Greyhound Owners and Breeders Federation

  • Munster Agricultural Society Company Ltd

  • National Association of Regional Game Councils

  • National Executive of the Irish live Stock Trade

  • Royal Dublin Society (RDS)

Cultural and Educational Panel Industrial and Commercial Panel
  • Association of Advertisers in Ireland

  • Chambers of Commerce of Ireland

  • Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in Ireland

  • Construction Industry Federation

  • Cumann Aturnaethe Paitinní agus Trádmharcanna

  • Electrical Industries Federation of Ireland

  • Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland

  • Institute of Bankers in Ireland

  • Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland

  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland

  • Institution of Engineers of Ireland

  • Institute of Industrial Engineers

  • Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers

  • Insurance Institute of Ireland

  • Irish Architects' Society

  • Irish Auctioneers and Valuers Institute

  • Irish Business and Employers Confederation

  • Irish Computer Society

  • Irish Country Houses and Restaurants Association

  • Irish Exporters Association

  • Irish Hardware & Building Materials Association

  • Irish Hotel and Catering Institute

  • Irish Hotels Federation

  • Irish Planning Institute

  • Irish Road Haulage Association

  • Irish Tourist Industry Federation

  • Licensed Vintners' Association

  • Marketing Institute of Ireland

  • Marketing Society Limited

  • National Off-Licence Association

  • Restaurants Association of Ireland

  • Retail, Grocery, Dairy and Allied Trades Association (RGDATA)

  • Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland

  • Society of the Irish Motor Industry

  • Vintners' Federation of Ireland

  • Wholesale Produce Ireland

Labour Panel