Seanad Elections

Clareman

Hi all,

I'm a UL graduate and I'm used to not having a Seanad vote but I seem to remember reading/hearing somewhere that all universities in Ireland will now have a vote, does anyone know if UL Graduates can have a vote and if they do how to go about registering

wnolan1992

Funny you should mention this, at last night's UGM a motion was passed asked the Union to campaign for UL grads to have a vote. What I can extrapolate from that is that no, UL grads don't currently have a vote in Seanad elections, but it's something the SU are going to pursue. Apparently the legislation is in place to allow UL to be added, it just hasn't been used yet.

Flying Abruptly

I'm also a UL graduate but have never voted in the Senand elections before.

I was always under the impression that all university graduates could vote until seeing this thread. Reading the senand and NUI websites, graduates from the NUI universities (UCD, UCC, NUIG and NUIM) and its associates select 3 senators, while Trinity College selects another 3.

I'm quite surprised all the younger universities are excluded (UL, DCU) and that Trinity selects the same number of senators as all the rest combined!

Jester252

They was a referendum passed on the 5 July 1979 that allowed all third level grads to vote. The Dail just never got around to putting the 7th amendment in place

Polar Ice

Lolz
I'm going to enjoy filling out my voting ballot from my toilet seat!

Seriously though, what role or power does the Seanad actually have?

Yes, NUI + Trinity graduates can cast votes and elect senators. Combined, they still only elect 10% of the upper house...

One can argue for UL and DCU graduates to get votes too, but why not DIT and the other institutes of technology?
Why should anyone who attends 3rd level have more voting power than any other citizen who didn't get a college education?

wnolan1992

Polar Ice wrote: »

Lolz
I'm going to enjoy filling out my voting ballot from my toilet seat!

Seriously though, what role or power does the Seanad actually have?

Yes, NUI + Trinity graduates can cast votes and elect senators. Combined, they still only elect 10% of the upper house...

One can argue for UL and DCU graduates to get votes too, but why not DIT and the other institutes of technology?
Why should anyone who attends 3rd level have more voting power than any other citizen who didn't get a college education?

Because the legislation already exists to allow UL and DCU to vote, it just has never been used.

Further expansion and reform, which is needed IMO and which we were promised after we voted to retain the Seanad, would require a lot more work than simply extending the voting rights to UL grads.

Jester252

Polar Ice wrote: »

Lolz
I'm going to enjoy filling out my voting ballot from my toilet seat!

Seriously though, what role or power does the Seanad actually have?

Yes, NUI + Trinity graduates can cast votes and elect senators. Combined, they still only elect 10% of the upper house...

One can argue for UL and DCU graduates to get votes too, but why not DIT and the other institutes of technology?
Why should anyone who attends 3rd level have more voting power than any other citizen who didn't get a college education?

The Seanad is a dumping ground for failed TD. It has less power in national affairs than a child in family affairs.