Chapter VI: Section II: Legislative Provisions

C.--THE SENATE/SEANAD EIREANN.

ARTICLE 29.

The Senate/Seanad Eireann shall be composed of citizens who have done honour to the Nation by reason of useful public service or who, because of special qualifications or attainments, represent important aspects of the Nation's life.

ARTICLE 30.

Every University in the Irish Free State/Saorstat Eireann shall be entitled to elect two representatives to the Senate/Seanad Eireann. The number of Senators, exclusive of the University members, shall be fifty-six. A citizen to be eligible for membership of the Senate/Seanad must be a person eligible to become a member of the Chamber/Dail Eireann, and must have reached the age of thirty-five years. Subject to any provision for the constitution of the first Senate/Seanad the term of office of a member of the Senate/Seanad shall be twelve years.

ARTICLE 31.

One-fourth of the members of the Senate/Seanad Eireann exclusive of the University members shall be elected every three years from a panel constituted as hereinafter mentioned at an election at which the Irish Free State/Saorstat Eireann shall form one electoral area and the elections shall be held on principles of Proportional Representation. One member shall be elected by each University entitled to representation in the Senate/Seanad every six years.

ARTICLE 32.

Before each election of members of the Senate/Seanad Eireann (other than University members) a panel shall be formed consisting of:--

(a) Three times as many qualified persons as there are members to be
elected of whom two-thirds shall be nominated by the Chamber/Dail
Eireann voting according to principles of Proportional Representation
and one-third shall be nominated by the Senate/Seanad Eireann voting
according to principles of Proportional Representation; and

(b) Such persons who have at any time been members of the
Senate/Seanad (including members about to retire) as signify by
notice in writing addressed to the President of the Executive Council
their desire to be included in the panel.

The method of proposal and selection for nomination shall be decided by the Chamber/Dail and Senate/Seanad respectively, with special reference to the necessity for arranging for the representation of important interests and institutions in the country; Provided that each proposal shall be in writing and shall state the qualifications of the person proposed. As soon as the panel has been formed a list of the names of the members of the panel arranged in alphabetical order with their qualifications shall be published.

ARTICLE 33.

In the case of the death, resignation or disqualification of a member of the Senate/Seanad Eireann (other than a University member) his place shall be filled by a vote of the Senate/Seanad. Any Senator so chosen shall retire from office at the conclusion of the three years period then running and the vacancy or vacancies thus created shall be additional to the places to be filled under Article 31. The term of office of the members chosen at the election after the first fourteen elected shall conclude at the end of the period or periods at which the Senator or Senators by whose death or withdrawal the vacancy or vacancies was or were originally created would be due to retire; Provided that the fifteenth member shall be deemed to have filled the vacancy first created in order of time and so on.

In case of the death, resignation or disqualification of a University member of the Senate/Seanad, the University by which he was elected shall elect a person to fill his place, and the member so elected shall hold office so long as the member in whose place he was elected would have held office.