27th Seanad

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27th Seanad
26th Seanad
Oireachtas logo.svg
Overview
Legislative body Seanad Éireann
Jurisdiction Ireland
Meeting place Leinster House
Election 29–30 January 2025
Government 35th government of Ireland
Members60
Cathaoirleach Mark Daly (FF)
Leader of the Seanad Seán Kyne (FG)
Deputy leader of the Seanad Fiona O'Loughlin (FF)
Leader of the Opposition Conor Murphy (SF)
Sessions
1st12 February 2025 

The 27th Seanad has been in office since February 2025. The 2025 Seanad election took place in January 2025, following the 2024 general election to the 34th Dáil on 29 November 2024. It was fully composed on 7 February 2025 on the nomination of members by the taoiseach.

Contents

Background

The Constitution of Ireland requires a general election for Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas, to take place no later than ninety days after the dissolution of Dáil Éireann. There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were elected on five vocational panels by serving politicians; 6 were elected in two university constituencies; and 11 are nominated by the taoiseach who was appointed after the assembly of the 34th Dáil. It will remain in office until the close of poll for the 28th Seanad.

The 33rd Dáil was dissolved on 8 November 2024. On 15 November 2024, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O'Brien, signed orders for the Seanad election, providing 29 January as the deadline for ballots in the university constituencies and 30 January as the deadline for ballots for the vocational panels. [1] [2] [3] [4] Under the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Act 2024, this is to be the last Seanad in which the two university constituencies will exist. At the next Seanad general election, they will be replaced by a new Higher Education constituency.

On 7 February 2025, the taoiseach, Micheál Martin, nominated eleven members with their prior consent to be members of the Seanad. [5]

Composition of the 27th Seanad

Origin
Party
Vocational panels NUI DU Nominated Total
Admin Agri Cult & Educ Ind & Comm Labour
Fianna Fáil 3313300619
Fine Gael 2422300518
Sinn Féin 111120006
Labour Party 000110002
Green Party 010000001
Aontú 010000001
Social Democrats 000010001
Independent 1112133012
Total7115911331160

Government parties are denoted with bullets ().

Effect of changes

 Feb. 2025 [a] Feb. 2025 [b]
Fianna Fáil 1919
Fine Gael 1817
Sinn Féin 66
Labour 22
Green 11
Social Democrats 11
Aontú 11
Independent 1213
Total60
  1. Composition after the 2025 Seanad election and the completion of nominations by the taoiseach.
  2. Composition after the resignation of Martin Conway from Fine Gael.

List of senators

^  +: New senator.
^  #: Member of the 33rd Dáil who was not re-elected at the 2024 general election .

PanelNamePortraitParty affiliation
(Technical group)
Assumed office
Start of Seanad termCurrent
Administrative Panel Garret Ahearn Garret Ahearn 2025 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 29 June 2020
Martin Conway Newly Elected Senator Martin Conway (cropped).jpg Fine Gael Independent
Resigned from Fine Gael in Feb. 2025
25 May 2011
Mark Daly Mark Daly 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 13 September 2007
Eileen Flynn Eileen Flynn, Jan 2025 (54306707939) (cropped).jpg Independent
(Civil Engagement Group)
29 June 2020
Fiona O'Loughlin Fiona O Loughlin 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 29 June 2020
Nicole Ryan [+] Nicole Ryan - 54309278789 (cropped).jpg Sinn Féin 30 January 2025
Diarmuid Wilson Diarmuid Wilson 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 12 September 2002
Agricultural Panel Niall Blaney Niall Blaney, Jan 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 29 June 2020
Paraic Brady [+] Paraic Brady (2025) (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 30 January 2025
Victor Boyhan Victor Boyhan 2025 (cropped).jpg Independent 8 June 2016
Maria Byrne Maria Byrne, January 2025 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 21 April 2021
Joanne Collins [+] Joanne Collins - 2025 (cropped).jpg Sinn Féin 30 January 2025
Teresa Costello [+] Teresa Costello, Jan 2025 - 54309006131 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 30 January 2025
Paul Daly Paul Daly 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 8 June 2016
Eileen Lynch [+] Newly Elected Senator Eileen Lynch - (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 30 January 2025
P. J. Murphy [+] PJ Murphy 2025 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 30 January 2025
Malcolm Noonan [+] [#] Malcolm Noonan 2025 (cropped).jpg Green Party 30 January 2025
Sarah O'Reilly [+] Sarah O'Reilly 2025 (cropped).jpg Aontú 30 January 2025
Cultural and Educational Panel Cathal Byrne [+] Cathal Byrne, Jan 2025 - 54311540637 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael30 January 2025
Joe Conway [+] Newly Elected Senator Joe Conway (cropped).jpg Independent 30 January 2025
Shane Curley [+] Shane Curley 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 30 January 2025
Seán Kyne Sean Kyne (2025) (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 20 February 2020
Pauline Tully [+] [#] Pauline Tully - 2025 (cropped).jpg Sinn Féin 30 January 2025
Industrial and Commercial Panel Frances Black Frances Black, January 2025 (cropped).jpg Independent
(Civil Engagement Group)
8 June 2016
Ollie Crowe Ollie Crowe (2025) (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 29 June 2020
Aidan Davitt Newly Elected Senator Aidan Davitt (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 8 June 2016
Mary Fitzpatrick Mary Fitzpatrick, Jan 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 29 June 2020
Laura Harmon [+] Senator Laura Harmon - Feb 2025 (cropped).jpg Labour 30 January 2025
Garret Kelleher [+] Garret Kelleher (2025) (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 30 January 2025
Sharon Keogan Sharon Keogan, Jan 2025 - 54311360697 (cropped).jpg Independent 29 June 2020
Conor Murphy [+] Conor Murphy 2025 (cropped).jpg Sinn Féin 30 January 2025
Linda Nelson Murray [+] Newly Elected Senator Linda Murray Nelson - 54312929835 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 30 January 2025
Labour Panel Chris Andrews [+] [#] Chris Andrews 2025 (cropped).jpg Sinn Féin 30 January 2025
Pat Casey Pat Casey (2025) (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 29 June 2020
Nessa Cosgrove [+] Nessa Cosgrove (2025) (cropped).jpg Labour 30 January 2025
Gerard Craughwell Newly Elected Senator 2025 (cropped).jpg Independent 14 October 2014
Mark Duffy [+] Mark Duffy 2025 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 30 January 2025
Robbie Gallagher Robbie Gallagher 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 8 June 2016
Mike Kennelly [+] Mike Kennelly (2025) (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 30 January 2025
Maria McCormack [+] Maria McCormack 2025 (cropped).jpg Sinn Féin 30 January 2025
Margaret Murphy O'Mahony [+] Margaret Murphy O'Mahony 2025 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 30 January 2025
Joe O'Reilly Joe O' Reilly (2025) (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 8 June 2016
Patricia Stephenson [+] Patricia Stephenson (2025) (cropped).jpg Social Democrats 30 January 2025
National University of Ireland Alice-Mary Higgins Alice-Mary Higgins, Feb 2025 - 54319357113 (cropped).jpg Independent
(Civil Engagement Group)
8 June 2016
Michael McDowell Michael McDowell 2024 (cropped).jpg Independent 8 June 2016
Rónán Mullen Ronan Mullen, January 2025 (cropped).jpg Independent 13 September 2007
Dublin University Tom Clonan Tom Clonan 2022 (cropped).jpg Independent 5 April 2022
Aubrey McCarthy [+] Aubrey McCarthy, Jan 2025 - 54312496054 (cropped).jpg Independent 30 January 2025
Lynn Ruane Lynn Ruane, Jan 2025 - 54312300526 (cropped).jpg Independent
(Civil Engagement Group)
8 June 2016
Taoiseach's nominees Manus Boyle [+] Newly Elected Senator Manus Boyle - 54321814402 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 7 February 2025
Nikki Bradley Newly Elected Senator Nikki Bradley (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 10 July 2024
Lorraine Clifford-Lee Newly Elected Senator Lorraine Clifford Lee (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 8 June 2016
Alison Comyn [+] Newly Elected Senator Alison Comyn (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 7 February 2025
Evanne Ní Chuilinn [+] Senator Evanne Ni Chuilinn - 54318220277 (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 7 February 2025
Joe Flaherty [#] Newly Elected Senator Joe Flaherty (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 10 December 2024
Imelda Goldsboro [+] Newly Elected Senator Imelda Goldsboro - 54319332078 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 7 February 2025
Noel O'Donovan [+] Newly Elected Senator Noel O'Donovan (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 7 February 2025
Anne Rabbitte [#] Newly Elected Senator Anne Rabbitte (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 10 December 2024
Dee Ryan [+] Senator Dee Ryan - 54319351063 (cropped).jpg Fianna Fáil 7 February 2025
Gareth Scahill [+] Newly Elected Senator Gareth Scahill (cropped).jpg Fine Gael 7 February 2025

Changes

DatePanelLossGainNote
9 February 2025 Administrative Panel Fine Gael Independent Martin Conway resigned from the Fine Gael parliamentary party [6]

References

  1. "Minister O'Brien makes Orders appointing dates and times for Seanad Éireann general election". Government of Ireland (Press release). Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. 15 November 2024. Archived from the original on 15 November 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  2. O'Halloran, Marie; Fallon, John. "Seanad offers lifeboat to enable TDs who lost their seats remain in Oireachtas". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
  3. "Seanad Panel Members General Election Order 2024" (PDF). 15 November 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 December 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  4. "Seanad University Members General Election Order 2024" (PDF). 15 November 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 January 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  5. "Nomination of Members of Seanad Éireann" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil . 2025 (13): 206. 14 February 2025.
  6. Regan, Mary (9 February 2025). "FG senator resigns from parliamentary party after arrest for intoxication last month". RTÉ News . Retrieved 9 February 2025.