The 24th Seanad was in office from 2011 to 2016. An election to Seanad Éireann, the Senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 2011 general election to the 31st Dáil on 25 February.[1][2] There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were elected on five vocational panels by serving politicians, for which polling closed on 26 April; 6 were elected in two university constituencies, for which polling closed on 27 April; and 11 were nominated by the Taoiseach (Enda Kenny) on 20 May 2011.[3] The 24th Seanad first met at Leinster House on 25 May 2011.[4] It remained in office until the close of poll for the 25th Seanad in April 2016.

24th Seanad
23rd Seanad 25th Seanad
Overview
Legislative bodySeanad Éireann
JurisdictionIreland
Meeting placeLeinster House
Term25 May 2011 – 9 February 2016
Government29th Government of Ireland
Members60
CathaoirleachPaddy Burke
Leas-ChathaoirleachDenis O'Donovan
Leader of the
Seanad
Maurice Cummins
Deputy leader of the SeanadIvana Bacik
Leader of the
Opposition
Darragh O'Brien
Sessions
1st25 May 2011 – 27 July 2011
2nd14 September 2011 – 20 July 2012
3rd19 September 2012 – 24 July 2013
4th20 August 2013 – 31 July 2014
5th17 September 2014 – 21 July 2015
6th23 September 2015 – 9 February 2016

Cathaoirleach

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On 25 May 2011, Paddy Burke was elected as the new Cathaoirleach of the Seanad.[5][6] On 1 June 2011, Denis O'Donovan was elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach.[7]

Composition of the 24th Seanad

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There are a total of 60 seats in the Seanad. There are 43 Senators elected on the vocational panels, 6 elected by universities and 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach.

The following table shows the composition by party when the 24th Seanad first met on 25 May 2011.

Origin
Party
Vocational panels NUI[8] DU Nominated Total
Admin Agri Cult & Educ Ind & Comm Labour
Fine Gael 3 4 2 4 5 0 0 1 19
Fianna Fáil 2 4 2 3 3 0 0 0 14
Labour 2 2 1 1 2 0 1 3 12
Sinn Féin 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 3
Independent 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 7 12
Total 7 11 5 9 11 3 3 11 60

Effect of changes

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This table shows the political composition of the 24th Seanad at the start and the end of its term.

  May 2011 Feb. 2016
Fine Gael 19 15
Fianna Fáil 14 10
Labour 12 11
Sinn Féin 3 2
Renua 1
Social Democrats 1
Independent 12 13
Vacant 7
Total 60

List of senators

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  • Note: The entries for Senators who were elected or appointed to fill vacancies are shown in italics
Name Panel Party Notes
Martin Conway Administrative Panel   Fine Gael  
Mark Daly Administrative Panel   Fianna Fáil Lost the Fianna Fáil party whip in December 2014.[9] Re-gained the party whip in February 2015.[10]
Michael W. D'Arcy Administrative Panel   Fine Gael Elected to Dáil at the 2016 general election
John Kelly Administrative Panel   Labour  
Denis Landy Administrative Panel   Labour  
Tom Sheahan Administrative Panel   Fine Gael  
Diarmuid Wilson Administrative Panel   Fianna Fáil  
Paul Bradford Agricultural Panel   Fine Gael Lost the Fine Gael party whip in July 2013. Joined Renua in March 2015.
Paddy Burke Agricultural Panel   Fine Gael Cathaoirleach[5]
Michael Comiskey Agricultural Panel   Fine Gael  
James Heffernan Agricultural Panel   Labour Lost the Labour Party whip in December 2012. Joined the Social Democrats in September 2015.
Paschal Mooney Agricultural Panel   Fianna Fáil  
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh Agricultural Panel   Sinn Féin  
Brian Ó Domhnaill Agricultural Panel   Fianna Fáil  
Denis O'Donovan Agricultural Panel   Fianna Fáil Leas-Chathaoirleach
Susan O'Keeffe Agricultural Panel   Labour  
Pat O'Neill Agricultural Panel   Fine Gael  
Jim Walsh Agricultural Panel   Fianna Fáil Resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip in March 2015[11]
Thomas Byrne Cultural and Educational Panel   Fianna Fáil Elected to Dáil at the 2016 general election
Deirdre Clune Cultural and Educational Panel   Fine Gael Resigned from the Seanad in May 2014 after being elected to the European Parliament[12]
John Gilroy Cultural and Educational Panel   Labour  
Michael Mullins Cultural and Educational Panel   Fine Gael  
Labhrás Ó Murchú Cultural and Educational Panel   Fianna Fáil  
Gerard Craughwell Cultural and Educational Panel   Independent Elected in a by-election on 10 October 2014, replacing Deirdre Clune[12][13]
Colm Burke Industrial and Commercial Panel   Fine Gael  
Paul Coghlan Industrial and Commercial Panel   Fine Gael  
Jimmy Harte Industrial and Commercial Panel   Labour Resigned from the Seanad in September 2015[14]
Imelda Henry Industrial and Commercial Panel   Fine Gael  
Marc MacSharry Industrial and Commercial Panel   Fianna Fáil Elected to Dáil at the 2016 general election
Catherine Noone Industrial and Commercial Panel   Fine Gael  
Averil Power Industrial and Commercial Panel   Fianna Fáil Resigned from Fianna Fáil in May 2015.[15]
Kathryn Reilly Industrial and Commercial Panel   Sinn Féin  
Mary White Industrial and Commercial Panel   Fianna Fáil  
Máiría Cahill Industrial and Commercial Panel   Labour Elected in a by-election on 13 November 2015, replacing Jimmy Harte.
Terry Brennan Labour Panel   Fine Gael  
David Cullinane Labour Panel   Sinn Féin Elected to Dáil at the 2016 general election
Maurice Cummins Labour Panel   Fine Gael Leader of the Seanad
Fidelma Healy Eames Labour Panel   Fine Gael Lost the Fine Gael party whip in July 2013
Cáit Keane Labour Panel   Fine Gael  
Terry Leyden Labour Panel   Fianna Fáil  
Marie Moloney Labour Panel   Labour  
Tony Mulcahy Labour Panel   Fine Gael  
Darragh O'Brien Labour Panel   Fianna Fáil Elected to Dáil at the 2016 general election
Ned O'Sullivan Labour Panel   Fianna Fáil  
John Whelan Labour Panel   Labour  
John Crown National University of Ireland   Independent  
Rónán Mullen National University of Ireland   Independent  
Feargal Quinn National University of Ireland   Independent  
Ivana Bacik Dublin University   Labour Deputy Leader of the Seanad
Sean Barrett Dublin University   Independent  
David Norris Dublin University   Independent  
Eamonn Coghlan Nominated by the Taoiseach   Independent Joined Fine Gael on 7 February 2012[16]
Jim D'Arcy Nominated by the Taoiseach   Fine Gael  
Aideen Hayden Nominated by the Taoiseach   Labour  
Lorraine Higgins Nominated by the Taoiseach   Labour  
Fiach Mac Conghail Nominated by the Taoiseach   Independent  
Martin McAleese Nominated by the Taoiseach   Independent Resigned from the Seanad on 5 February 2013[17]
Mary Moran Nominated by the Taoiseach   Labour  
Mary Ann O'Brien Nominated by the Taoiseach   Independent  
Marie-Louise O'Donnell Nominated by the Taoiseach   Independent  
Jillian van Turnhout Nominated by the Taoiseach   Independent  
Katherine Zappone Nominated by the Taoiseach   Independent Elected to Dáil at the 2016 general election
Hildegarde Naughton Nominated by the Taoiseach   Fine Gael Appointed on 19 July 2013, replacing Martin McAleese.[18] Elected to Dáil at the 2016 general election

Changes

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Date Panel Loss Gain Note
7 February 2012 Nominated by the Taoiseach Independent Fine Gael Eamonn Coghlan joins Fine Gael[16]
21 December 2012 Agricultural Panel Labour Independent James Heffernan loses the parliamentary Labour Party whip
5 February 2013 Nominated by the Taoiseach Independent   Martin McAleese resigns from the Seanad[17]
16 July 2013 Labour Panel Fine Gael Independent Fidelma Healy Eames loses the Fine Gael party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[19]
16 July 2013 Agricultural Panel Fine Gael Independent Paul Bradford loses the Fine Gael party whip for voting against the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013[19]
19 July 2013 Nominated by the Taoiseach   Fine Gael Hildegarde Naughton appointed to replace Martin McAleese[18]
27 May 2014 Cultural and Educational Panel Fine Gael   Deirdre Clune resigns from the Seanad after being elected to the European Parliament.[12]
10 October 2014 Cultural and Educational Panel   Independent Gerard Craughwell wins by-election to replace Deirdre Clune[13]
21 December 2014 Administrative Panel Fianna Fáil Independent Mark Daly loses the Fianna Fáil party whip on Water Services Bill[9]
3 February 2015 Administrative Panel Independent Fianna Fáil Mark Daly re-gains the Fianna Fáil party whip[10]
13 March 2015 Agricultural Panel Independent Renua Paul Bradford joins Renua on its foundation[20]
26 March 2015 Agricultural Panel Fianna Fáil Independent Jim Walsh resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip in opposition to the Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015 and the Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015[11]
25 May 2015 Industrial and Commercial Panel Fianna Fáil Independent Averil Power resigns from Fianna Fáil[15]
3 September 2015 Agricultural Panel Independent Social Democrats James Heffernan joins the Social Democrats[21]
23 September 2015 Industrial and Commercial Panel Labour   Jimmy Harte resigns from the Seanad[14][22]
13 November 2015 Industrial and Commercial Panel   Labour Máiría Cahill elected in by-election
26 February 2016 Cultural and Educational Panel Fianna Fáil   Thomas Byrne elected to the 32nd Dáil
26 February 2016 Labour Panel Sinn Féin   David Cullinane elected to the 32nd Dáil
26 February 2016 Administrative Panel Fine Gael   Michael D'Arcy elected to the 32nd Dáil
26 February 2016 Industrial and Commercial Panel Fianna Fáil   Marc MacSharry elected to the 32nd Dáil
26 February 2016 Nominated by the Taoiseach Fine Gael   Hildegarde Naughton elected to the 32nd Dáil
26 February 2016 Labour Panel Fianna Fáil   Darragh O'Brien elected to the 32nd Dáil
26 February 2016 Nominated by the Taoiseach Independent   Katherine Zappone elected to the 32nd Dáil

References

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  1. ^ De Bréadún, Deaglán (8 February 2011). "Ó Cuív announces details of what may be final Seanad election". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
  2. ^ "Senators elected to the new Seanad". RTÉ News. 29 April 2011.
  3. ^ Elaine Edwards (20 May 2011). "McAleese appointed to Seanad". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
  4. ^ "New Seanad holds first meeting". Irish Times. 24 May 2011. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Paddy Burke elected as Seanad Cathaoirleach". RTÉ News. 25 May 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  6. ^ "Election of Cathaoirleach – Seanad Éireann (24th Seanad) – Vol. 208 No. 1". Houses of the Oireachtas. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Election of Leas-Cathaoirleach – Seanad Éireann (24th Seanad) – Vol. 208 No. 2". Houses of the Oireachtas. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  8. ^ "NUI Panel Full Results" (PDF). NUI Returning Office. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Senator Mark Daly expelled from Fianna Fáil parliamentary party for defying whip on water Bill". 21 December 2014. Archived from the original on 29 January 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  10. ^ a b "Kerry Senator readmitted to the FF parliamentary party". Radio Kerry. 3 February 2015. Archived from the original on 16 May 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Conservative senator Jim Walsh resigns from Fianna Fáil parliamentary party". 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  12. ^ a b c "Resignation of Member". 4 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
  13. ^ a b "Gerard Craughwell wins Seanad by-election". RTÉ News. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Labour Senator Jimmy Harte resigns from Upper House". The Irish Times. 23 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Averil Power quits Fianna Fáil party". RTÉ News. 25 May 2015. Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  16. ^ a b "Former Olympic athlete Eamonn Coghlan joins Fine Gael". TheJournal.ie. 7 February 2012. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.
  17. ^ a b "Martin McAleese to resign from Seanad". RTÉ News. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  18. ^ a b "Enda Kenny nominates Hildegarde Naughton to Seanad". RTÉ News. 19 July 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  19. ^ a b "Seanad passes abortion legislation second stage". RTÉ News. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Creighton says new party Renua about open politics". RTÉ News. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 14 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  21. ^ "Former Labour Senator James Heffernan joins Social Democrats". Irish Independent. 3 September 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  22. ^ "Seanad Éireann debate – Vol. 242 No. 1". Houses of the Oireachtas. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
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