Mr. Phil Hogan T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has announced that the Government has agreed that the European Parliament and Local Elections will be held on Friday 23 May 2014. Polling will be between the hours of 7am and 10pm on that day.

Every person aged 18 years or over is entitled to be registered as a local government elector for the local electoral area where they ordinarily reside -   citizenship is not a requirement for voting at the local elections.  Every person who is a citizen of Ireland or who is ordinarily resident in the State and has reached the age of 18 years and who is not subject to any disqualification is eligible for election to a local authority.  At the local elections 949 members of 31 local authorities will be elected in 137 local electoral areas.

Every Irish and other EU citizen living in Ireland aged 18 years or over is entitled to be registered to vote at the European Parliament elections in Ireland. Every Irish citizen and other EU citizen living in Ireland who has reached the age of 21 years and who is not subject to any disqualification can stand for election in any European constituency in the State.  11 MEPs will be elected   in the State at the European Parliament elections next May.   The proposed three constituencies in which MEPs will be elected are specified in the European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2013 which is scheduled to be debated in the Oireachtas this month.