As rivals jockey to replace Ivana Bacik in Seanad Éireann, it’s worth reminding ourselves that the very concept of a university senator is an anachronistic one

Sixteen southern unionists were appointed to the Seanad in 1922 by WT Cosgrave, giving a voice to minorities not represented in the Dáil, and bringing maturity in the form of amendments to major pieces of legislation

Private horticultural bill to allow practice to resume is co-signed by Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil senators, but has angered the Green Party

An estimated €123,000 was paid out last year under a clause allowing politicians to get a full allowance if they can show they were unable to travel to the Oireachtas

The independent candidate’s strong links to Irish America are understood to be behind the party’s intention to back the businessman

Green Party chair publicly toyed with joining Social Democrats and had said she would run for Dáil ‘one way or the other’

While Hazel Chu embarks on a solo run for a Seanad seat, many in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are concerned that their parties’ fragile election pact will fall apart in a welter of mutual distrust

Case brought by UL graduate Tomás Heneghan contends that current rules about who can be an elector are unconstitutional