24th Seanad

The 24th Seanad was in office from 2011 to 2016. An election to Seanad Éireann, the Senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 2011 general election to the 31st Dáil on 25 February. There are 60 seats in the Seanad: 43 were elected on five vocational panels by serving politicians, for which polling closed on 26 April; 6 were elected in two university constituencies, for which polling closed on 27 April; and 11 were nominated by the Taoiseach (Enda Kenny) on 20 May 2011. The 24th Seanad first met at Leinster House on 25 May 2011. It remained in office until the close of poll for the 25th Seanad in April 2016.

Cathaoirleach
On 25 May 2011, Paddy Burke was elected as the new Cathaoirleach of the Seanad. On 1 June 2011, Denis O'Donovan was elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach.

Composition of the 24th Seanad
There are a total of 60 seats in the Seanad. There are 43 Senators elected on the vocational panels, 6 elected by universities and 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach.

The following table shows the composition by party when the 24th Seanad first met on 25 May 2011.

Effect of changes
This table shows the political composition of the 24th Seanad at the start and the end of its term.