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Atlantic Technological University Alumni Can Now Register for Seanad Higher Education Constituency

Seanad Voter graphic

Atlantic Technological University (ATU) alumni are now eligible to vote in Seanad Éireann elections as part of a newly established six-seat Higher Education constituency. This development expands the franchise for electing Higher Education Senators to include graduates of ATU and its legacy institutions (Formally Institutes of Technology and RTC’s).

The new constituency, which will replace the existing National University of Ireland (NUI) and University of Dublin (Trinity College Dublin) constituencies, comes into effect on June 1, 2025. It grants voting rights to degree holders from designated higher education institutions, including ATU, for the first time.

Graduates who hold bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees from ATU and meet the eligibility criteria can now register. To qualify, applicants must be Irish citizens aged 18 or older. The deadline for registration is Thursday 23 January, 2025.

Registration can be completed online at seanadvoter.ie or by submitting a paper application. All submissions will be processed initially by the Chief Registration Officer (CRO) before being verified by ATU. The first register for the Higher Education constituency will be published on 1 April , 2025, and will remain in effect for any election held before 1 June, 2026.

Under the new system, the Higher Education constituency will function as a single-vote system, meaning individuals with degrees from multiple institutions may only register once.

The changes are the result of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024, introduced following a Supreme Court decision. While the new constituency will not be in place for the Seanad general election scheduled for January 2025, it will apply to subsequent elections.

Further information on eligibility, registration, and the application process is available at seanadvoter.ie