With the current Seanad General Election currently underway, the current arrangements—three senators elected by graduates of the National University of Ireland (NUI) and three by graduates of the University of Dublin (Trinity College)—will continue to be in place.
However, in the future, all six senators will be chosen by graduates of technical universities, other universities, and technology institutes as part of a newly created six-seat Higher Education Constituency.
A Supreme Court ruling requiring that any Seanad University election held after May 31, 2025, be based on a larger number of institutions prompted the government to make the move.
Candidates can apply online at www.seanadvoter.ie to be added to the new constituency's inaugural Register of Electors. Eligible voters will not be able to reapply until the registration period reopens the following year if they fail to register by tomorrow's deadline for the Seanad Higher Education Constituency.
On April 1, 2025, the first register will be released. The registry will be released on June 1st of each year starting in 2026.
For Seanad elections after June 1, 2025, the NUI and University of Dublin (Trinity College Dublin) constituencies will be replaced by the new Higher Education Constituency.
Degree holders from approved higher education institutions other than Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and NUI graduates will be able to vote for the first time.