The Seanad is celebrating its centenary today.
A year-long programme of events has been launched to mark the occasion, with the theme being "Minority Voices, Major Changes".
Marking 100 years of the Upper House, the former President Mary Robinson said that the Seanad had an advantage over the Dáil, in terms of the time it has to debate issues in depth.
She urged current senators to now focus attention on addressing climate change.
Mrs Robinson, who served in the Seanad for 20 years, was in Leinster House today, as senators gathered to celebrate the centenary.
Father of the House, Senator David Norris, was also in attendance.
He first became a senator in 1987 and remembered changing the law on homosexuality as one of his proudest achievements.
Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, Senator Mark Daly, launched a series of events today to mark Seanad 100.
Mr Daly said that he hoped to see progress on expanding the franchise of the Seanad, allowing more people to vote.
