A Political and Economic Dictionary of Western Europe, First Edition
Senate
The Seanad Éireann (Senate) is the upper house of the bicameral parliament, the Tithe an Oireachtas, in Ireland. It is composed of 60 members who must be selected within 90 days of the dissolution of the Dáil Éireann and who are appointed by three different procedures. Eleven are nominated by the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), six are elected by the graduates of two universities (the National University of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin) and 43 are elected by five panels representing vocational interests of culture and education, agriculture, labour, industry and commerce and public administration. The electorate for these panels is made up of members of the incoming Dáil Éireann, the outgoing Seanad, county councils and county borough councils.
The Seanad shares a legislative role with the Dáil: its main function is to debate and revise legislation submitted by the lower house. The Seanad has the power to revise and initiate legislation in all areas except financial legislation, and it can not initiate bills to amend the Constitution. Increasingly the government has tended to make use of the Seanad for initiating legislation. The appointments procedure means that the composition of the Seanad will tend to reflect party strengths in the Dáil.
Address: Seanad Éireann, Houses of the Oireachtas, Leinster House, Dublin 2, Ireland
Tel: (0)1 6183000
Fax: (0)1 6184118
E-mail: info@oireachtas.ie
Internet: www.oireachtas.ie
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