Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) Act, 1947

Preparation of nominating bodies lists.

28.—(1) A proposal for nomination paper by which a person or persons is or are proposed for nomination at a Seanad general election by a nominating body shall be delivered or sent by post to the Seanad returning officer.

(2) Immediately after the expiration of the time for general panel proposal nominations, the Seanad returning officer shall prepare, in respect of each panel, a list (in this Act referred to as a nominating bodies list) in the prescribed form of the persons in respect of whom he has received, before the expiration of the said time, proposals for nominations to such panel by nominating bodies.

(3) If, when the provisions of subsection (2) of this section have been complied with, the number of persons included in a nominating bodies list does not equal or exceed the appropriate number, the Seanad returning officer shall report to the Taoiseach the deficiency in such list and furnish him with copies of the nominating bodies lists.

(4) Upon receiving a report under subsection (3) of this section, the Taoiseach shall propose for nomination to every panel in respect of which he receives the report such number of persons as will be sufficient to bring the number of persons on the relevant nominating bodies list up to the appropriate number (and no more).

(5) A proposal for nomination made by the Taoiseach under this section shall be made in accordance with the following provisions:—

(a) the proposal for nomination shall be made in writing on a proposal for nomination paper in the prescribed form;

(b) the proposal for nomination shall be made by a separate proposal for nomination paper;

(c) the proposal for nomination paper shall state the sub-panel in respect of which the proposal is made and shall also contain the particulars required by the said prescribed form of proposal for nomination paper (including a statement of the qualifications of the person thereby proposed for the panel to which he is so proposed) and shall be signed by the Taoiseach;

(d) the proposal for nomination paper shall be delivered or sent to the Seanad returning officer and shall be so sent or delivered that it is received by him within ten days after the expiration of the time for general panel proposed nominations.

(6) On receipt of proposals for nominations under subsection (4) of this section in respect of a panel, the Seanad returning officer shall prepare, in respect of the panel, a list (in this Act also referred to as a nominating bodies list) in the prescribed form of the persons in respect of whom he has received proposals for nominations to such panel by nominating bodies or the Taoiseach and such list shall have effect in substitution for the previous nominating bodies list in respect of the panel.

(7) In preparing the nominating bodies lists, the Seanad returning officer shall not—

(a) include the name of a person whose proposal for nomination has been received after the expiration of the time for general panel proposed nominations,

(b) include the name of a person whose proposal for nomination is declared by this Act to be wholly void, or

(c) include the name of a person more than once in the same list.

(8) In this section, the expression “the appropriate number” means—

(a) if one nominating body, and no more, or two nominating bodies, and no more, is or are entitled to propose for nomination to the relevant panel—

(i) in case such panel is the cultural and educational panel—six,

(ii) in case such panel is the agricultural or the labour panel—fourteen,

(iii) in case such panel is the industrial and commercial panel—twelve,

(iv) in case such panel is the administrative panel—eight,

(b) if three or more nominating bodies are entitled to propose for nomination to the relevant panel—

(i) in case such panel is the cultural and educational panel—ten,

(ii) in case such panel is the agricultural or the labour panel—eighteen,

(iii) in case such panel is the industrial and commercial panel—sixteen,

(iv) in case such panel is the administrative panel — twelve.