23rd Seanad

The 23rd Seanad was in office from 2007 to 2011. An election to Seanad Éireann, the Senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 2007 general election to the 30th Dáil on 24 May. There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were elected on five vocational panels by serving politicians; 6 were elected in two university constituencies; and 11 were nominated by the Taoiseach. Under the Constitution of Ireland, a general election for the Seanad was required within 90 days of the dissolution of the 29th Dáil on 30 April 2007. Polls closed on 24 July 2007, and the Taoiseach's nominees were announced by Bertie Ahern on 3 August 2007. The 23rd Seanad first met at Leinster House on 13 September 2007. The term of the 23rd Seanad was from 13 September 2007 to 20 April 2011, remaining in session until the close of poll for the 24th Seanad.

Cathaoirleach
Pat Moylan was elected as the new Cathaoirleach of the Seanad.

Composition of the 23rd Seanad
There are a total of 60 seats in the Seanad. There are 43 Senators elected by the Vocational panels, 6 elected by the Universities and 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach.

The following table shows the composition by party when the 23rd Seanad first met on 13 September 2007.

Effect of changes

 * Notes


 * 1) ^ The 2007 column refers to the state of parties when 23rd Seanad first met in 2007.
 * 2) ^ The November 2010 column refers to the state of parties after the election of Pearse Doherty to the Dáil.
 * 3) ^ The March 2011 column refers to the state of parties after the 2011 Dáil election.

Graphical representation
This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 23rd Seanad in January 2011.




 * Note: This was not the official seating plan.

Changes
Fourteen senators were elected to the 31st Dáil at the general election on 25 February 2011.