Ireland endured their worst Six Nations in 14 years in 2013, but bounced back following the appointment of Schmidt to come within seconds of beating the All Blacks in November.
Flankers Sean O'Brien and Stephen Ferris have been ruled out of the tournament but hooker Richardt Strauss and lock Donnacha Ryan may also return from injury.
Among the newcomers in the 44-man squad were Connacht's New Zealand-born prop Rodney Ah Yo and Cardiff back-rower Robin Copeland.
Ireland start with a home game against Scotland on February 2 and finish the tournament, likely to be the last for talismanic centre Brian O'Driscoll, against France in Paris on March 15.
Ireland Six Nations Squad:
Forwards: Rodney Ah You (Connacht), Stephen Archer (Munster), Rory Best (Ulster), Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues), Sean Cronin (Leinster), Robbie Diack (Ulster), Cian Healy (Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Iain Henderson, (Ulster), Chris Henry (Ulster), Rob Herring (Ulster), David Kilcoyne (Munster), Mike McCarthy (Leinster), Jack McGrath (Leinster), Martin Moore (Leinster), Jordi Murphy (Leinster), Paul O'Connell (Munster), Tommy O'Donnell (Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Munster), Mike Ross (Leinster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster), Devin Toner (Leinster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Damian Varley (Munster).
Backs: Isaac Boss (Leinster), Darren Cave (Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Connacht), Paddy Jackson (Ulster), Felix Jones (Munster), David Kearney (Leinster), Rob Kearney (Leinster), Ian Keatley (Munster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Kieran Marmion (Connacht), Luke Marshall (Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Leinster), Conor Murray (Munster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Eoin Reddan (Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92), Andrew Trimble (Ulster).
(Reporting by Conor Humphries, editing by Ed Osmond)
