A by-election was held for the Seanad ÃÂireann Dublin University constituency in Ireland in March 2022. Ballot papers were issued on 25 February and polls closed at 11 a.m. on 30 March 2022. The election was won by former army officer and whistleblower Tom Clonan.
The vacancy was caused by the election of Labour's Ivana Bacik to Dáil ÃÂireann on 8 July 2021 at a by-election in Dublin Bay South. On 10 November 2021, the Seanad passed a motion calling on the clerk of the Seanad to send notice to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage of the vacancy. The minister was required to make the order for a by-election within six months of this notice.
Every citizen of Ireland who is at least 18 years old and who has received a degree (other than an honorary degree) or obtained a scholarship from Trinity College Dublin is entitled to be registered as an elector. The electorate of the university is approximately 70,000. When a casual vacancy occurs it is filled by a by-election. The procedure at a by-election is the same as that at a general election of university members. Candidates must be proposed and seconded by two registered electors, with the assent of eight other electors. All votes are cast by postal ballot, and are counted using the single transferable vote.
Seventeen candidates were nominated. All nominations are non-partisan, with no provision for nomination by parties as there is in Dáil elections. These include, ordered by the date of their declaration: