National University of Ireland (constituency)

Representation

House of Commons of the United Kingdom

|}} Under the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act 1918, NUI was enfranchised as a new university constituency and continued to be entitled to be represented by one Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons until the dissolution of Parliament on 26 October 1922, shortly before the Irish Free State became a dominion outside the United Kingdom on 6 December 1922. In 1918 the electorate included all registered male graduates over 21 (or over 19 if in the armed services) and all female graduates over 30. There were 3,819 voters registered for the 1918 general election. Most, if not all, of those electors would have been plural voters also entitled to vote in a territorial constituency. The 1918 general election took place on 14 December and the results were declared on 28 December, except for the university constituencies. NUI voted between 18 and 22 December and the result was declared on 23 December. Eoin MacNeill was elected (and also for Londonderry City) standing for Sinn Féin and therefore did not take his seat in Westminster, instead serving as a member of the first Dáil Éireann.

House of Commons of Southern Ireland

The Government of Ireland Act 1920 established a devolved home rule legislature, within the United Kingdom, for twenty-six Irish counties which were designated Southern Ireland. NUI was given four seats in the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. At the 1921 Southern Ireland House of Commons election, all 128 seats were elected unopposed. Of these, 124 were Sinn Féin members, who formed the TDs of the Second Dáil. This included the four representatives of the NUI.

The Parliament was dissolved as part of the arrangements under the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922.

Dáil Éireann

Parliamentary 3 (1923–1937) In the 1918 general election, Sinn Féin contested the election on the basis that they would not take seats in the United Kingdom Parliament but would establish a revolutionary assembly in Dublin.

The university was, in Irish republican theory, entitled to return one Teachta Dála (known in English as a Deputy) in 1918 to serve in the Irish Republic's First Dáil. This revolutionary body assembled on 21 January 1919. In republican theory every MP elected in Ireland was a member of the First Dáil. In practice only Sinn Féin members participated, including the Deputy for the university.

In May 1921, elections were held to the parliaments established under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. Sinn Féin had decided to use the polls for the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland together as an election for the Irish Republic's Second Dáil. At the last meeting of the First Dáil on 10 May 1921, it passed a motion, the first three parts of which expressed this constitutional position.

1. That the parliamentary elections which are to take place during the present month be regarded as elections to Dáil Éireann.
2. That all deputies duly returned at these elections be regarded as members of Dáil Éireann and allowed to take their seats on subscribing to the proposed Oath of Allegiance.
3. That the present Dáil dissolve automatically as soon as the new body has been summoned by the President and called to order.

No voting occurred in Southern Ireland as all the seats were filled by unopposed returns. Except for Dublin University all constituencies outside Northern Ireland elected Sinn Féin TDs. The Second Dáil first met on 16 August 1921, thereby dissolving the First Dáil. The Third Dáil was also elected under the constituencies established by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. On 6 December 1922, this became the house of representatives of the new Irish Free State.

From the Electoral Act 1923 the Irish Free State defined its own Dáil constituencies. National University of Ireland was reduced to three seats. This Act abolished plural voting for University constituencies and enfranchised women on the same terms as men. Qualified voters could register for a university or a territorial constituency but not for both. The qualifications for an elector to be registered as a university voter were set out in Section 1(2)(c) of the 1923 Act. They were to be registered at "the University constituency comprising a university in which he or she has received a degree other than an honorary degree".

The Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Act 1936 repealed provisions of the Constitution of the Irish Free State providing for University representation in Dáil Éireann, with effect from the next dissolution of the Oireachtas which took place on 14 June 1937. The seat left vacant by Conor Maguire in 1936 on his appointment to the High Court was not filled.

TDs

|Sinn Féin |Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty) |Sinn Féin (Anti-Treaty) |Cumann na nGaedheal |Fianna Fáil |Independent politician (Ireland) from 1923

Seanad Éireann

Article 18.4 of the Constitution of Ireland adopted in 1937, provided that the National University of Ireland would have three seats in the new Seanad Éireann. The Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937 gave effect to this constitutional provision, with graduates of the National University of Ireland entitled to elect Senators by single transferable vote. The first Seanad election took place in 1938, and thereafter elections to the Seanad take place within 90 days of the dissolution of the Dáil. The Seventh Amendment, adopted in 1979, allows for a redistribution of the six university seats among the Dublin University, the National University of Ireland, and any other institutions of higher education in the State which do not have representation. The establishment of separate universities from the NUI Colleges was under consideration in the late 1970s, and the Seventh Amendment was introduced so that the reference to the NUI in the Constitution would not inhibit any reforms and graduates of NUI and ex-NUI institutions could elect senators. Ultimately the NUI was not abolished (but reformed to be a federal institution).

Graduates who are Irish citizens are required to register to vote and the election is conducted by postal vote. There is no residency requirement for voters, so those living abroad can participate. Political party labels do not appear on Seanad election ballot papers.

Under the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Act 2024, the 2025 Seanad election to the 27th Seanad was the last general election for the National University constituency and the Dublin University constituency. At Seanad general elections held after 31 March 2025, the two university constituencies will be substituted by a new six-seat Higher Education constituency, enfranchising graduates from all institutions of higher education recognised under the Higher Education Act 2022. If a vacancy occurs during the 27th Seanad in the National University constituency, the electorate will be NUI graduates on the Higher Education constituency register of electors. |Fianna Fáil |Fine Gael |Labour Party (Ireland) |Independent politician (Ireland)

Elections

2025 election

2020 election

2016 election

2011 election

2007 election

2002 election

1997 election

1993 election

1989 election

1933 election

• Seat vacant in November 1936 on appointment of Maguire as a Justice of the High Court

1932 election

September 1927 election

June 1927 election

1923 by-election

Caused by the resignation of Eoin MacNeill.

1923 election

1922 election

1921 election

|} Sinn Féin refused to recognise the Southern Ireland House of Commons and took their seats as TDs in the Second Dáil. The NUI registrar reported an expenditure of £28 14s on the election.

1918 election

The 1918 general election took place on 14 December and the results were declared on 28 December, except for the university constituencies. NUI voted between 18 and 22 December and the result was declared on 23 December.

In common with other Sinn Féin MPs, Eoin MacNeill abstained from Westminster and took his seat as a TD in the First Dáil. He was also elected for Londonderry City.

References

Sources

References

1. "Dáil Éireann debate - Tuesday, 10 May 1921 - PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT. - ELECTIONS.".
2. (17 April 1923). "Electoral Act 1923, Section 1 - Dáil Franchise".
3. (15 November 2024). "Minister O'Brien makes Orders appointing dates and times for Seanad Éireann general election". [[Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage]].
4. "12 Candidates Nominated To Contest Seanad Éireann Election in the National University of Ireland (NUI) Constituency".
5. "Ronán fears the Christmas break will hit Seanad vote".
6. "Seanad Éireann Election 2020 Key Dates".
7. "19 Candidates Nominated to Contest Seanad Éireann Election in the NUI Constituency".
8. (April 2020). "Seanad Éireann Election 2020". National University of Ireland.
9. (27 April 2016). "Result of Election and Transfer of Votes. Seanad Éireann Election Held on 26th April 2016. Constituency of: National University of Ireland".
10. (28 April 2011). "Seanad General Election, April 2011, National University of Ireland Panel". Houses of the [[Oireachtas]].
11. "Seanad election 2007: National University of Ireland".
12. "Seanad election 2002: National University of Ireland".
13. "Seanad election 1997: National University of Ireland".
14. "Seanad election 1993: National University of Ireland".
15. Mortell, Michael. (17 August 1989). "Result of the election and transfer of votes National University of Ireland". National University of Ireland.
16. "General election 1933: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
17. "General election 1932: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
18. "General election September 1927: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
19. (11 October 1927). "Election of Ceann Comhairle". Dáil Debates – Vol. 21 No. 1.
20. "General election June 1927: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
21. {{cite Irish legislation. (1927). (19 March 1927)
22. {{cite Irish legislation. (1927). (22 May 1927)
23. (23 June 1927). "Election of Ceann Comhairle". Dáil Debates – Vol. 20 No. 1.
24. "By-election 1923: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
25. Gallagher, Michael. (1993). "Irish Elections 1922-44: Results and Analysis". PSAI Press.
26. "General election 1923: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
27. (3 October 1923). "Resignation". Dáil Debates – Vol. 5 No. 4.
28. (19 September 1923). "Fógra ó Theachta". Dáil Debates – Vol. 5 No. 1.
29. (19 September 1923). "Election of Ceann Comhairle". Dáil Debates – Vol. 5 No. 1.
30. "General election 1922: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
31. "General election 1921: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.
32. Wiber, Fred. H.. (27 February 1922). "Accounts of Receipts and Expenditure of Universities and Colleges, Ireland, for the year ended 31 July 1921; together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon". HMSO.
33. "General election 1918: National University of Ireland". ElectionsIreland.org.