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.
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.
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.
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".[2]
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
Teachtaí Dála (TDs) for National University of Ireland 1918–1937{{{refs}}}
Note: The columns in this table are used only for presentational purposes, and no significance should be attached to the order of columns. For details of the order in which seats were won at each election, see the detailed results of that election.
^Michael Hayes served as Ceann Comhairle from 9 September 1922 to 29 January 1932.
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 will be the last general election for the National University constituency and the Dublin University constituency. Polls for this election will close on 29 January 2025. At Seanad general elections held after 31 March 2025, they 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.[3]
Senators for National University of Ireland 1938–present
^As outgoing Ceann Comhairle, Hayes was returned automatically under s. 2 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1927. He was elected again as Ceann Comhairle on 11 October 1927, leaving the Cumann na nGaedheal parliamentary party.[19]
^As outgoing Ceann Comhairle, Hayes was returned automatically under s. 2 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1927.[21][22] He was elected again as Ceann Comhairle on 23 June 1927, leaving the Cumann na nGaedheal parliamentary party.[23]
^MacNeill also stood successfully for Clare and chose to sit for that constituency.[26]
^Hayes also stood successfully for Dublin South but vacated that seat.[27] He was elected as Ceann Comhairle on 9 September 1923, leaving the Cumann na nGaedheal parliamentary party.[28]
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.[31]
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.
