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Envelopes have been opened today to see who will take their seats in the Seanad. Justin Farrelly/© RollingNews.ie

Counting is underway in the Seanad elections

The results of the election will be announced early next week.

LAST UPDATE | 29 Jan

COUNTING IN THE Seanad elections has gotten underway at Trinity College and at the RDS in Dublin following a lengthy campaign.

Senators and would-be senators have been canvassing TDs, councillors and graduates from the National University of Ireland and Trinity College of Dublin since early December to earn one of the 49 seats up for grabs.

Graduates from Trinity will be first to have their votes counted, starting at 9am at the college. The count will then begin at the RDS for the National University of Ireland (NUI) votes.

Senators are elected by graduates of some universities to two out of the seven panels in the Seanad and there are three seats each for Trinity and for NUI.

Outgoing senators Tom Clonan and Lynn Ruanne are both seeking re-election on the Trinity Panel, while Rónán Mullen, Michael McDowell and Alice Mary-Higgins are seeking re-election on the NUI panel.

Senators are elected by proportional representation, with voting for the university panels conducted by post. This franchise is set to be extended to all graduates in the next Seanad elections.

The remaining five panels, and 43 seats, are voted on by elected TDs, councillors and outgoing Senators. Those politicians have until 11am tomorrow to cast their vote and ballots are being collected at Leinster House.

The full results will be known by early next week. Seanad elections typically have a low turnout rate.

Seanad Election Count 12_90721086 The Seanad election count 2025 at Trinity College Justin Farrelly / © RollingNews.ie Justin Farrelly / © RollingNews.ie / © RollingNews.ie

Lastly, following the elections, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin will get the opportunity to appoint 11 senators to the upper house. This is done to ensure that the government has a majority in the Dáil and the Seanad.

Depending on the outcome of the election, Martin may choose to appoint someone outside of both coalition parties. Previous Taoisigh have chosen to appoint people from groups not adequately represented in the Oireachtas.

With reporting from Jane Matthews and Eoghan Dalton

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Cotter
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    Jan 29th 2025, 6:25 AM

    “Graduates from trinity are counted first”
    What a line..this farce of an election really does insure a certain order and political class stay in the gravy train….80k + expenses for a bit of par time work..
    Shameful sh1€…

    345
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    Mute Jonn
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    Jan 29th 2025, 6:31 AM

    @David Cotter:
    I don’t care who gets in as long as Kitty Zapota doesn’t reclaim her seat on the gravy train, the entitlement is strong in that one!

    248
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    Mute Emily Dalton
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    Jan 29th 2025, 1:14 PM

    @David Cotter: I think it is because it has the smallest electorate of the university constituencies.

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    Mute Daniel Gilroy
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    Jan 29th 2025, 3:59 PM

    @David Cotter: True, so much for our egalitarian, constitutional republic.

    13
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    Mute honey badger
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:14 AM

    Lost the confidence of your local electorate? Lost your seat? Want to stay in the game on 80k + expenses? It’s the best paying political consolation prize in town!
    Also, keep Conor Murphy out.

    181
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    Mute brendan hackett
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    Jan 29th 2025, 6:49 AM

    We had our chance to get rid of the Seanad in 2013, but we blew it, just to have a dig at Enda Kenny.

    192
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    Mute Jonn
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    Jan 29th 2025, 6:51 AM

    @brendan hackett:
    Don’t remind me!

    61
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    Mute David Cotter
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:38 AM

    @brendan hackett: it was a fiddle Brendan..it was worded weirdly on the ballot. People had no clue why was being asked

    71
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    Mute Mindful Muinteoir
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:03 AM

    @brendan hackett: Sorry now! We do not have a municiple government in this country. We have the most centralised government in Europe as it is. To centralise it even more would be dangerous. The Seanad served us well in the last few years haulting ill conceived legislation that the Dail failed to sufficiently scrutinise.

    35
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    Mute Sean Hayes
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:16 AM

    @David Cotter: No it wasn’t. Was very clear but people voted No to have a dig at Enda. If you couldn’t understand it maybe you shouldn’t e let vote on the Senate- best left to the educated.

    30
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    Mute David Cotter
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:24 AM

    @Sean Hayes: spoken like a true graduate that is allowed to vote Not us plebs

    36
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    Mute Sean Hayes
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:26 AM

    @David Cotter: I voted to abolish it

    27
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    Mute David Cotter
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:26 AM

    @Sean Hayes: Bty Sean e let is not a word…..educated me arse

    18
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    Mute Me Me
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    Jan 29th 2025, 12:09 PM

    @brendan hackett: You don’t improve democracy by reducing it. The Seanad needs to be improved, not eliminated.

    19
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    Mute Sean Hayes
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    Jan 29th 2025, 2:51 PM

    @David Cotter: Nor is bty!!!

    8
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:02 PM

    @Mindful Muinteoir: Correct and also very important changes were made to other bills as well as sending bills to the Dail. AS well as the work Senators do at committee.
    A two tier house works.

    6
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:03 PM

    @Me Me: Totally agree, some great work has been do e by its members.

    5
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    Mute Conor Kelly
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    Jan 29th 2025, 11:59 PM

    @Sean Hayes: I voted No but it was not to have a dig at Enda. It’s amazing what is attributed to hundreds of thousands of voters by someone who has absolutely no idea why anyone other than themselves (and perhaps a few others who shared thier reasons) voted any particular way.

    1
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    Mute the don
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    Jan 29th 2025, 6:35 AM

    So their wages comes out of the taxes of only those entitled to vote. Hahaha

    75
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    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:18 AM

    @Harry Paisley: Ceann Cách

    20
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    Mute Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
    Favourite Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:06 PM

    @Ollie Fitzpatrick: he couldn’t fart without a :) or a lol after it.

    3
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    Mute William Jennings
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:45 PM

    @Harry Paisley: I guess it’s true what they say about Trinity graduates. You people really are elite snobs and don’t give a damn about the fact that you are wasting millions of taxpayer Euros in your farcical election. I’m paying the salary of someone that I don’t have the right to vote for. How the heck can you even justify that? Oh that’s right, you’re a Trinity graduate who thinks that they have a God-given right to more than the rest of us simply because you went to Trinity College. Shame on you.

    5
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    Mute Ronan Mc
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    Jan 29th 2025, 9:37 AM

    And we think walls for half a million are a waste of money….we only have ourselves to blame for having that this retirement home still in existence

    70
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:04 PM

    @Ronan Mc: If you think it is a retirement home, you have no understanding of how the government works!

    7
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    Mute Dan Murphy
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:46 AM

    Please no Zappone just the sight of her makes me ill

    115
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    Mute Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
    Favourite Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:03 PM

    @Dan Murphy: you know it will e fixed so that Zappone or Chu is given a seat.

    18
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    Mute Paddy C
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    Jan 29th 2025, 9:27 AM

    Another ball of money down the pan

    54
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    Mute Ed Brennan
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    Jan 29th 2025, 9:36 AM

    Another ‘trough’ being prepared, for the usual snouts.

    60
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    Mute colin G
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    Jan 29th 2025, 9:41 AM

    How does this undemocratic farce still exist??

    65
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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:05 AM

    More nothing from the Irish political class. business as usual

    44
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    Mute Shelley Keary
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    Jan 29th 2025, 9:54 AM

    @Thesaltyurchin: you had your chance to join it in November

    16
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    Mute Tommy
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    Jan 29th 2025, 10:28 AM

    Seanad Eireann is the Circus House. Where the Taoiseach gets to nominate his nominees and they’ll make sure to implement the policy of the Government of the day

    41
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:05 PM

    @Tommy: That is not how the Seanad works at all.

    10
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    Mute Shelley Keary
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    Jan 29th 2025, 9:52 AM

    All four of my kids went to 3rd level college. Only one is allowed to vote in this farcical election

    38
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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:51 AM

    sure, a priority for our leader when the rest of the country is down

    28
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    Mute Sean Hayes
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:18 AM

    @Dominic Leleu: Not a priority for government. FG tried to abolish it but voters said No

    28
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    Mute carol mullen
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:49 AM

    The Irish equivalent of the “House of Lords” and the so called political left want to be part of this scam.Jesus wept.

    37
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:06 PM

    @carol mullen: Completely different in fact. Apart from it being the second chamber!

    6
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    Mute Damien Leahy
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    Jan 29th 2025, 12:20 PM

    I’m sure Stephen donnelly will get in after losing out on the general election.

    23
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    Mute Chris
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    Jan 29th 2025, 1:31 PM

    I hope no more that lady from halting site in Fabre Park Ballyfermot. Her “big family” from the area terrorising everyone with their antisocial behaviour.

    28
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    Mute 58liamo
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    Jan 29th 2025, 10:45 AM

    It cannot be coincidence that waste like this keeps emerging. Someone’s got to have their fingers in the till.

    21
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    Mute RIP
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    Jan 29th 2025, 2:51 PM

    Tom Clonan’s voice needs to continue being heard for those with Disabilities

    19
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    Mute reg morrisey
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    Jan 29th 2025, 8:49 AM

    Did anyone see the guy with the fez hat that’s running? Is that meant to be a joke?

    21
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:07 PM

    @reg morrisey: No, it was meant to get him noticed.
    And it worked as you noticed him!

    6
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    Mute Nigel Hayden
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:12 PM

    @reg morrisey: Tommy Cooper

    8
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    Mute Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
    Favourite Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
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    Jan 29th 2025, 11:10 PM

    @reg morrisey: Jack Mulcahy. As in Michael Mulcahy (FF). As in Mulcahy, publisher of The Phoenix (where you will not be able to read about the connection). As in Dynasty (non-Alexis Carrington version).

    1
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    Mute Me Me
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    Jan 29th 2025, 12:08 PM

    Everybody should have 2 votes, one for regional representation in the Dáil and one for sectoral representation (agriculture, business, education, transport etc.) in the Seanad.

    14
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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 29th 2025, 4:10 PM

    @Me Me: The problem with a fully elected second house is you get situations like in the US. With both houses controlled by one side. There is no other voice to be heard. No checks and balances.
    That is what the Seanad is for!
    If both houses were elected, it would be too easy to have total control.

    4
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    Mute Dave Barrett
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    Jan 29th 2025, 2:58 PM

    All lining up for the Gravy Train

    14
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    Mute Tom L
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    Jan 29th 2025, 1:27 PM

    Scam faux democracy, archaic and not for the plebs

    18
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    Mute Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
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    Jan 29th 2025, 6:41 PM

    Zappone. Girlboss wagon. Nominated y Luke O’Neill and other luvvies. Take up arms if that brass necked yank bunt is elected.

    11
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    Mute Róisín Flemping-Bunt-Himmler the Citizen Journalist
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    Jan 29th 2025, 7:01 PM

    Why does it take a week to announce the winners? To fill out the ballot paprrs to make sure the right people wim. I wouldnt trust this election result if you paid me. Rotten sham.

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    Mute Paul Soup
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    Jan 29th 2025, 1:50 PM

    Ban vapes.

    2
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