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| 26th Seanad | |||||||||||||
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| Overview | |||||||||||||
| Legislative body | Seanad Éireann | ||||||||||||
| Jurisdiction | Ireland | ||||||||||||
| Meeting place | Leinster House | ||||||||||||
| Election | 30–31 March 2020 | ||||||||||||
| Government |
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| Members | 60 | ||||||||||||
| Cathaoirleach | Vacant | ||||||||||||
| Leas-Chathaoirleach | Mark Daly (FF) | ||||||||||||
| Leader of the Seanad | Lisa Chambers (FF) | ||||||||||||
| Deputy leader of the Seanad | Seán Kyne (FG) | ||||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition | Rebecca Moynihan (Lab) | ||||||||||||
| Sessions | |||||||||||||
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The 26th Seanad has been in office since June 2020. The 2020 Seanad election followed the 2020 general election to the 33rd Dáil on 8 February. The Constitution of Ireland required a general election for Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), to take place no later than ninety days after the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil on 14 January 2020. There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were elected on five vocational panels by serving politicians, for which polling closed on 30 March 2020; 6 were elected in two university constituencies, for which polling closed on 31 March 2020; and 11 were nominated by the Taoiseach (Micheál Martin) on 27 June 2020. It will remain in office until the close of poll for the 27th Seanad, which is scheduled for 30 January 2025.
Of the 60 members, twenty-four (40%) are women, and thirty (50%) are first-time Senators. Five Senators (8%) are members of the LGBT+ community.[1] 33 members (55%) of the 26th Seanad were unsuccessful candidates at the 2020 general election, 10 of those (17%) being outgoing TDs who failed to get re-elected. In total 41 members (68%) of the 26th Seanad had contested general elections in the past, while 15 (25%) were former TDs. Eileen Flynn is the first Irish Traveller to be a member of the Seanad.[2]
There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 Senators are elected by vocational panels, six elected by the two university constituencies, and eleven are nominated by the Taoiseach. Three seats are elected by graduates of the four colleges of the National University of Ireland (University College Cork, University College Dublin, University of Galway and Maynooth University) and three seats are elected by graduates of Dublin University (as Trinity College Dublin is the sole constituent college, this is often referred to as the Trinity College constituency).[3]
Article 18.8 of the Constitution requires that an election for Seanad Éireann take place not later than 90 days after a dissolution of the Dáil. On 21 January, Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy signed the orders for the Seanad election.[4]
The coalition agreement between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green Party saw a rotation between the role of Taoiseach between the leaders of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin served as Taoiseach from June 2020 to December 2022, with Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar serving as Taoiseach from that date, with Simon Harris succeeding as Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach in April 2024. Similarly, the agreement provided that the position of Cathaoirleach in the Seanad would rotate between the parties.
On 29 June 2020, Mark Daly was proposed as Cathaoirleach by Lisa Chambers (FF) and seconded by Denis O'Donovan (FF). Niall Ó Donnghaile (SF) was proposed by Paul Gavan (SF) and seconded by Elisha McCallion (SF). Daly was elected by a vote of 46 to 6.[7] On 7 July 2020, Jerry Buttimer (FG) was proposed as Leas-Cathaoirleach by Martin Conway (FG) and seconded by Diarmuid Wilson (FF). Fintan Warfield (SF) was proposed by Niall Ó Donnghaile (SF) and seconded by Lynn Boylan (SF). Buttimer was elected by a vote of 43 to 6.[8]
On 21 August 2020, following his involvement in the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal, Buttimer resigned as Leas-Cathaoirleach.[9] On 18 September 2020, Joe O'Reilly (FG) was proposed as Leas-Cathaoirleach by Regina Doherty (FG) and seconded by John McGahon (FG). Fintan Warfield (SF) was proposed by Niall Ó Donnghaile (SF) and seconded by Elisha McCallion (SF). O'Reilly was elected to the position.[10]
On 16 December 2022, Daly resigned as Cathaoirleach and O'Reilly resigned as Leas-Cathaoirleach. Jerry Buttimer was proposed by Regina Doherty and seconded by Diarmuid Wilson. Victor Boyhan (Ind) was proposed by Alice-Mary Higgins (Ind) and seconded by Tom Clonan (Ind). Buttimer was elected by a vote of 35 to 8.[1] This was followed by the election of Mark Daly as Leas-Cathaoirleach. He was proposed by Lisa Chambers (FF) and seconded by Regina Doherty and elected unopposed.[11][12]
Jerry Buttimer was elected to the 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election held on 29 November, leaving the office of Cathaoirleach vacant.
Origin Party
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Vocational panels | NUI | DU | Nominated | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admin | Agri | Cult & Educ | Ind & Comm | Labour | |||||||
| ● | Fianna Fáil | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 20 | |
| ● | Fine Gael | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 16 | |
| Sinn Féin | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
| Labour Party | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | ||
| ● | Green Party | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| Independent | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | ||
| Total | 7 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 60 | ||
Government parties are denoted with bullets (●)
This table shows the political composition of the 26th Seanad at the start of its term and at the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil.
| June 2020 | Dec. 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 20 | 16 | |
| Fine Gael | 16 | 11 | |
| Sinn Féin | 5 | 2 | |
| Labour | 5 | 2 | |
| Green | 4 | 5 | |
| Independent | 10 | 11 | |
| Vacant | — | 13 | |
| Total | 60 | ||
On its first sitting of the 26th Seanad, the government had a majority of 40 to 20. As of November 2024, the government's majority is 41 to 17, with two vacancies.
The political leadership of the Seanad rotated on 16 December 2022, the day before the rotation of the Taoiseach and Tánaiste. Outgoing Leader of the Seanad, Regina Doherty becoming Deputy Leader, and outgoing Deputy Leader Lisa Chambers becoming Leader. Outgoing Government Chief Whip of the Seanad, Senator Seán Kyne of Fine Gael also swapped positions with Seanad Government Deputy Chief Whip Senator Robbie Gallagher, who took over as Seanad Chief Whip. The leadership of the Green Party group in the Seanad also changed with Senator Pauline O'Reilly stepping down as group leader to be replaced by Senator Róisín Garvey.
^ +: New senator.
^ ‡: Previously served as member of the Seanad non-consecutively to the current consecutive terms of office.
^ #: Member of the 32nd Dáil who was not re-elected at the 2020 general election.
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