Senator focus on NUI graduates

• Mairead will advocate for all necessary NUI funding and support for NUI issues for graduates at home and abroad, relevant for Seanad’s involvement.
• Proposal of Digital Campaigns (reduce leaflets due to impact for energy, environment and cost) for future elections and options for the electorate to have electronic campaign correspondence if they wish or postal.  This would reduce election costs for candidates.
• Mairead recommends Digital Campaigns and electronic comms ‘option’ for future expanded elections, instead of postal only comms at present. It would be useful if there is an option on the new Seanadvoter for choosing electronic correspondence or post for Campaign information from Candidates.
• Note the Ballot paper will always be sent by registered post. The current NUI electorate is 112,815. When voting expands to the new HEA Constituency from 01 June 2025, the electorate will increase significantly, including ‘all degree holders’ as is right for all to have a vote. Therefore, the electorate may quadruple or more. Therefore multiple candidates printing costs will also expand! Non sustainable leaflets go in bins and waste and are not good for the environment.  Email would require an opt-in from voters for GDPR consent.
• The forthcoming Seanad General Election (January 2025) will be held on the basis of the existing NUI and
  University of Dublin (Trinity College) constituencies electing three Senators each.
• The first register of electors for the new HEA Higher Education Authority constituency will be published on 1 April 2025 and will be in force until the
  first annual revision is complete. A revised register will be published on 1 June 2026 and every 1 June thereafter.
• For future elections graduates must re-register on Seanadvoter.ie. The deadline for registration is 23 Jan 2025.
• The HEA ‘designated colleges’ are:
  • Atlantic Technological University
  • Dublin City University
  • Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology
  • Dundalk Institute of Technology
  • Maynooth University
  • Munster Technological University
  • National College of Art and Design
  • Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
  • South East Technological University
  • Technological University Dublin
  • Technological University of the Shannon Midlands Midwest
  • Trinity College Dublin
  • University College Cork
  • University College Dublin
  • University of Galway
  • University of Limerick
• The Higher Education Authority Act 2022 also provides that other institutions may be designated in the future.
• If you are already on the register for the NUI constituency or the University of Dublin (Trinity College)
  constituency a letter will have issued to your address on record in December 2024. If you have received the letter
  you can use the National University of Ireland (NUI) reference number/ TCD Alumni number contained therein to
  assist in completing your claim for registration for the new constituency. The NUI reference number/TCD Alumni
  number will be used to check your details.