# 23rd Seanad

The 23rd Seanad was in office from 2007 to 2011. An election to Seanad Éireann, the senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) took place in July 2007, following 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

On 13 September 2007, Pat Moylan (FF) was proposed as Cathaoirleach by Donie Cassidy (FF) and seconded by Dan Boyle (GP). He was elected without a division. On 26 September 2007, Paddy Burke (FG) was proposed as Leas-Chathaoirleach by Frances Fitzgerald (FG) and seconded by Maurice Cummins (FG).

## 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.
| OriginParty | OriginParty | Vocational panels | Vocational panels | Vocational panels | Vocational panels | Vocational panels | NUI | DU | Nominated | Total | Total |
| OriginParty | OriginParty | Admin | Agri | Cult & Educ | Ind & Comm | Labour | NUI | DU | Nominated | Total | Total |
| | Fianna Fáil | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 28 | |
| | Fine Gael | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | |
| | Labour Party | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| | Green Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| | Progressive Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| | Sinn Féin | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| | Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | |
| Total | Total | 7 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 60 | |

### Effect of changes

| Party | Party | 2007 | Nov. 2010 | Mar. 2011 |
| | Fianna Fáil | 28 | 25 | 26 |
| | Fine Gael | 14 | 15 | 6 |
| | Labour Party | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| | Green Party | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| | Sinn Féin | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | Progressive Democrats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| | Vacant | 0 | 2 | 15 |
| Total | Total | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 |

#### Notes

* ^ The 2007 column refers to the state of parties when 23rd Seanad first met in 2007.
* ^ The November 2010 column refers to the state of parties on the dissolution of the 30th Dáil.
* ^ 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.

## List of senators

* Note: The entries for Senators who were elected or appointed to fill vacancies are shown in italics
| Name | Panel | Party | Notes |
| Mark Daly | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Paschal Donohoe | Administrative Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Camillus Glynn | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Tony Kett | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | Died on 19 April 2009 |
| Nicky McFadden | Administrative Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Brendan Ryan | Administrative Panel | Labour | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Diarmuid Wilson | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| James Carroll | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | Elected to Seanad on 26 November 2009, replacing Tony Kett |
| Paul Bradford | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | |
| Paddy Burke | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | Leas-Chathaoirleach |
| Peter Callanan | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | Died on 11 October 2009 |
| John Carty | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Pearse Doherty | Agricultural Panel | Sinn Féin | Elected to Dáil Éireann in a by-election on 26 November 2010 |
| Alan Kelly | Agricultural Panel | Labour | Elected to the European Parliament on 7 June 2009 |
| Pat Moylan | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | Cathaoirleach |
| Francis O'Brien | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| John Paul Phelan | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Eugene Regan | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | |
| Jim Walsh | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | Resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip on 7 July 2010 Rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 23 November 2010 |
| Niall Ó Brolcháin | Agricultural Panel | Green | Elected to Seanad in a by-election on 14 December 2009, replacing Alan Kelly |
| Paschal Mooney | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | Elected to Seanad in a by-election on 19 January 2010, replacing Peter Callanan |
| Cecilia Keaveney | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Labhrás Ó Murchú | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | Resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip on 7 July 2010 Rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 23 November 2010 |
| Ann Ormonde | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Liam Twomey | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Alex White | Cultural and Educational Panel | Labour | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Larry Butler | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | Resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip on 5 June 2010 |
| Paudie Coffey | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Paul Coghlan | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | |
| Dominic Hannigan | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Labour | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Marc MacSharry | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Denis O'Donovan | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | Lost the Fianna Fáil party whip on 25 June 2010 Rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 19 October 2010 |
| Joe O'Reilly | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Kieran Phelan | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | Died on 26 May 2010 |
| Mary White | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Jerry Buttimer | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Donie Cassidy | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | Leader of the Seanad |
| Maurice Cummins | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | |
| Geraldine Feeney | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Frances Fitzgerald | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| John Hanafin | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | Resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip on 7 July 2010 Rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party on 23 November 2010 |
| Fidelma Healy Eames | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | |
| Terry Leyden | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Michael McCarthy | Labour Panel | Labour | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Ned O'Sullivan | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | |
| Phil Prendergast | Labour Panel | Labour | |
| Rónán Mullen | National University of Ireland | Independent | |
| Joe O'Toole | National University of Ireland | Independent | |
| Feargal Quinn | National University of Ireland | Independent | |
| Ivana Bacik | Dublin University | Independent | Joined the Labour Party on 23 September 2009 |
| David Norris | Dublin University | Independent | |
| Shane Ross | Dublin University | Independent | Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Dan Boyle | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Green | |
| Martin Brady | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | |
| Ivor Callely | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | Resigned the Fianna Fáil party whip on 5 June 2010 Resigned from the Fianna Fáil party on 24 August 2010 |
| Ciarán Cannon | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | Joined Fine Gael on 24 March 2009 Elected to Dáil at the 2011 general election |
| Maria Corrigan | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | |
| Déirdre de Búrca | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Green | Resigned from the Seanad on 12 February 2010 |
| John Ellis | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | |
| Eoghan Harris | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Independent | |
| Lisa McDonald | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | |
| Brian Ó Domhnaill | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | |
| Fiona O'Malley | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | Sat as an independent on dissolution of the Progressive Democrats in December 2009 |
| Mark Dearey | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Green | Appointed on 23 February 2010, replacing Déirdre de Búrca |
| Darragh O'Brien | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | Nominated on 4 March 2011 to fill vacancy |

## Changes

Fourteen senators were elected to the 31st Dáil at the general election on 25 February 2011.
| Date | Panel | Loss | Gain | Note |
| 24 March 2009 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | Fine Gael | Ciarán Cannon joins Fine Gael |
| 19 April 2009 | Administrative Panel | Fianna Fáil | | Death of Tony Kett |
| 7 June 2009 | Agricultural Panel | Labour | | Alan Kelly elected to the European Parliament |
| 23 September 2009 | Dublin University | Independent | Labour | Ivana Bacik takes Labour Party whip |
| 11 October 2009 | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | | Death of Peter Callanan |
| 26 November 2009 | Administrative Panel | | Fianna Fáil | James Carroll elected unopposed, succeeding Tony Kett |
| 11 December 2009 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Progressive Democrats | Independent | Fiona O'Malley becomes an independent on dissolution of the Progressive Democrats |
| 14 December 2009 | Agricultural Panel | | Green | Niall Ó Brolcháin elected in a by-election, replacing Alan Kelly |
| 19 January 2010 | Agricultural Panel | | Fianna Fáil | Paschal Mooney elected in a by-election, replacing Peter Callanan |
| 12 February 2010 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Green | | Déirdre de Búrca resigns from the Seanad<ref |
| 23 February 2010 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | | Green | Mark Dearey appointed, replacing Déirdre de Búrca |
| 26 May 2010 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | | Death of Kieran Phelan |
| 5 June 2010 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Larry Butler resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip |
| 5 June 2010 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Ivor Callely resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip |
| 25 June 2010 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Denis O'Donovan loses the Fianna Fáil party whip |
| 7 July 2010 | Labour Panel | Fianna Fáil | Independent | John Hanafin resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip in opposition to Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill |
| 7 July 2010 | Agricultural Panel | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Jim Walsh resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip in opposition to Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill |
| 7 July 2010 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Labhrás Ó Murchú resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip in opposition to Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill |
| 24 August 2010 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | | | Ivor Callely resigns from the Fianna Fáil party after expenses controversy |
| 19 October 2010 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Denis O'Donovan rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party |
| 23 November 2010 | Agricultural Panel | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Jim Walsh rejoins the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party |
| 23 November 2010 | Labour Panel | Independent | Fianna Fáil | John Hanafin rejoins the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party |
| 23 November 2010 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Labhrás Ó Murchú rejoins Fianna Fáil parliamentary party |
| 26 November 2010 | Agricultural Panel | Sinn Féin | | Pearse Doherty elected to the 30th Dáil in a by-election |
| 25 February 2011 | Administrative Panel | Fine Gael | | Paschal Donohoe elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Administrative Panel | Fine Gael | | Nicky McFadden elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Administrative Panel | Labour | | Brendan Ryan elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Agricultural Panel | Fine Gael | | John Paul Phelan elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Fine Gael | | Liam Twomey elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Cultural and Educational Panel | Labour | | Alex White elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | | Paudie Coffey elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Labour | | Dominic Hannigan elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Industrial and Commercial Panel | Fine Gael | | Joe O'Reilly elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | | Jerry Buttimer elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Labour Panel | Fine Gael | | Frances Fitzgerald elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Labour Panel | Labour | | Michael McCarthy elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Dublin University | Independent | | Shane Ross elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 25 February 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | Fine Gael | | Ciarán Cannon elected to the 31st Dáil |
| 4 March 2011 | Nominated by the Taoiseach | | Fianna Fáil | Darragh O'Brien nominated to fill vacancy |