A General Election to Seanad Éireann must be held within 90 days of the dissolution of Dáil Éireann. in 2011, the Dáil was dissolved on Tuesday the 1st of February, the Seanad election has to take place before the 2nd of May.

Dates and times involved in the general election to Seanad Éireann are shown below; Panel Members

See Guide to Seanad Eireann to learn more about Nominating bodies 

• The period for nominations by Nominating Bodies will expire at noon on Friday 11 March 2011.
• The period for nominations by members of the Oireachtas will expire at noon on Monday 21 March 2011.
• The Seanad Returning Officer will sit for the completion of the panels on Friday 25 March 2011.
• The ballot papers will be issued to the electorate on Thursday 7 April 2011
• The poll will close at 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday 26 April 2011.

University Members

• The period for nominations in the university constituencies will expire on Thursday 3 March 2011.
• The ballot papers will be issued to the electorate on Monday 21 March 2011
• The poll will close at 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday 27 April 2011

Seanad Éireann is composed of 60 Members as follows:

• 11 nominated by the Taoiseach
• 43 elected by five panels representing vocational interests namely, Culture and Education, Agriculture, Labour, Industry and Commerce and Public Administration
• Six elected by the graduates of two universities: - three each by the National University of Ireland and the University of Dublin (Trinity College)
  

Like TDs the main parliamentary function of Senators is to enact legislation.  Although strictly speaking the Government is not accountable to Seanad Éireann the Seanad employs similar mechanisms with exception of parliamentary questions.