Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act, 1947

Chapter IV.

General Provisions in respect of every ruling upon nomination under Chapter III.

The judicial referee at ruling upon nomination.

76.—(1) The President of the High Court or some other judge of the High Court nominated by him shall attend at every ruling upon nomination held under this Part of this Act and shall there sit and act as judicial referee.

(2) The Seanad returning officer may, on his own motion, and shall, if so requested by the person who is named in the relevant certificate of provisional election or whose nomination is required by this Act to be ruled upon at the ruling upon nomination or by the agent of any such person, refer to the judicial referee any question arising during the ruling upon nomination in relation to any nomination paper, the nomination of any person, the qualifications of any person for the relevant panel, the statement by the Seanad returning officer of such qualifications, or any other matter connected with the nomination of any person.

(3) The judicial referee shall there and then decide and announce his decision on every question referred to him under this section by the Seanad returning officer.

(4) The decision of the judicial referee on any question referred to him under this section by the Seanad returning officer shall be final and conclusive and shall not be open to review by any court.

(5) A question may be referred to the judicial referee under this section whether the Seanad returning officer has or has not himself given a decision thereon.