Minister for Environment Éamon Ó Cuív has set out the timeframe for elections and nominations to the next Seanad.
Mr Ó Cuív said the period for nominating bodies to put forward their nominees would expire at noon on March 11th. Oireachtas members will have until Monday, March 21st to put forward their nominees for the 24th Seanad.
Under Article 18.8 of the Constitution a general election for the Seanad must take place not later than 90 days after a dissolution of the Dáil, in this case not later than May 2nd.
Ballot papers will be issued on April 7th and the poll will close on Tuesday, April 26th.
For the university members, the period of nominations will expire on March 3rd and the poll will close on April 27th.
Of the Seanad’s 60 members, 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach.
The remaining 49 seats are contested in a general election. Some 43 of those seats are filled by way of an election, with members of the Dáil, the outgoing Seanad, and members of city and county councils qualified to vote.
The remaining six seats are returned from two panels. Graduates of the National University of Ireland return three and the other three are elected by graduates of Trinity College Dublin.
In their election pledges, both Fine Gael and Labour have pledged to abolish the Seanad and to reform the Dáil.
Publishing its election manifesto today, Fianna Fáil said it would support the abolition of the upper house “if - and only if - the more important political reforms we propose are implemented”.