European Elections 2024
The European elections will take place in Ireland on Friday 7th June 2024. Irish and other EU citizens resident in Ireland and aged 18 or over can vote provided they register by 20 May 2024. The elections take place every five years. In 2024, 720 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will be elected. They will represent the 450 million people who live in the EU. Voters in Ireland will elect 14 MEPs in 2024, one more than in the 2019 elections.
What is the European Parliament
In the European elections, people in the European Union vote for Members to represent them in the European Parliament. Elections take place every five years. The last elections were held in May 2019. Elections take place in all 27 EU member states. In 2024, 720 MEPs will be elected to the European Parliament. The elected MEPs work to form political groups. Groups include MEPs from different countries and political parties. The groups have common aims.
There are seven political groups in the European Parliament:
Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats)
Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament
Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
European Conservatives and Reformists Group
The Left Group in the European Parliament - GUE/NGL
The European Parliament approves the EU budget and scrutinises how the money is spent. It also elects the President of the European Commission, appoints its Commissioners and holds them to account. MEPs look at plans for new EU laws and they can also amend existing EU laws. MEPs and the Council of the EU decide on the EU budget. They vote on trade agreements with countries outside the EU. MEPs elect a President for the Parliament and they also elect the President of the European Commission.
Ireland
In September 2023, the European Parliament and the Council agreed to the provision of 15 extra MEPs across the EU for the 2024-2029 European Parliament mandate. As a result of this decision, Ireland will have an additional MEP to elect in 2024 and 14 MEPS will represent Ireland in the European Parliament. Ireland is divided into three constituencies for the European Parliament elections: Dublin (4 MEPs), Midlands, North-West (5 MEPS) and South (5 MEPs).
|
Constituency |
Area |
Number of MEPs |
|
Dublin |
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin; and the city of Dublin |
4 |
|
Midlands, North-West
|
Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Kildare, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath |
5 |
|
South |
Carlow, Clare, Cork City, Cork County, Kerry, Kilkenny, Limerick City, Limerick County, Tipperary, Waterford City, Waterford County, Wexford, Wicklow. |
5 |
|
Total number of MEPs |
|
14 |
Ireland Constituency Map
How to register to vote
In order to vote you need to be registered on the register of electors that is compiled each year by local authorities. If you were not registered at previous European elections in Ireland, you must apply for registration and complete a statutory declaration form (EP1) which is available from Country and City Councils. The statutory declarations are sent to the authorities of the Member State of the elector as well to guard against double voting. Visit the website "checktheregister.ie" to find out if you are registered to vote, and for assistance in registering to vote.