The 2024 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 2024 European Parliament election and was held on Friday, 7 June 2024, the same day as the Irish local elections and Limerick mayoral election.
Electoral system
Ireland is entitled to 14 MEPs in the Tenth European Parliament. They are elected on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote in three constituencies: Dublin (4 seats); Midlands–North-West (5 seats); and South (5 seats).
Thirteen MEPs were elected in 2019. However, the last candidate elected in Dublin and in South did not take their seats until January 2020, as part of the post-Brexit redistribution of seats. Ireland was allocated an additional seat in 2023 after a pre-election assessment of the parliament composition based on the most recent population figures. The Electoral Commission recommended this seat be given to Midlands–North-West, with the transfer of County Laois and County Offaly from the South constituency. This change was implemented by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2023.
Franchise Irish citizens and other non-Irish EU citizens residing in the country are entitled to vote in the European elections in Ireland, provided that they are registered to vote for EU elections and that they have submitted a statutory declaration issued by the local authority of their residence. Irish citizens residing abroad cannot vote in Ireland in a referendum or election, including European election. In addition, those eligible to vote must turn 18 years old by election day at the latest.
Outgoing delegation The table shows the detailed composition of the Irish seats at the European Parliament as of 24 January 2024. EP GroupSeatsPartySeatsMEPsEuropean People's PartyFine Gael 5 The Left in the European ParliamentIndependents 4 Change2 Sinn Féin1 Independents1 Renew EuropeFianna Fáil2 Greens–European Free AllianceGreen Party2 Total13
Retiring incumbents Constituency Departing MEPPartyEP Group First elected Date announced South Deirdre Clune 2014 Dublin Frances Fitzgerald 2019 Midlands–North-West Colm Markey 2020
Campaign Timeline
5 April: Ministerial order fixing the election date made by Darragh O'Brien, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 15 April: Opening of the nomination period 22 April: Close of the nomination period for non-Irish EU citizens 30 April: Close of the nomination period for Irish citizens 8 May: Date on which posters may be erected 7 June: Polling day (7 a.m.–10 p.m.) 9 June: Counting of votes commences
Debates On Monday 20 May 2024 RTÉ One's Upfront with Katie Hannon hosted a debate between eight candidates running in the Midlands-North-West constituency: Peter Casey (Ind), Barry Cowen (FF), Luke 'Ming' Flanagan (Ind), Saoirse McHugh (Ind), Chris MacManus (SF), Pauline O'Reilly (GP), Peadar Tóibín (Aon) and Maria Walsh (FG).
On Friday 30 May RTÉ One's Prime Time hosted 8 candidates from the South constituency: Lorna Bogue (Rabh), Paul Gavan (SF), Niamh Hourigan (Lab), Billy Kelleher (FF), Michael McNamara (Ind), John Mullins (FG), Grace O'Sullivan (GP) and Mick Wallace of (I4C).
On Tuesday 4 June RTÉ One's Prime Time hosted 8 candidates from the Dublin constituency: Barry Andrews (FF), Ciarán Cuffe (GP), Clare Daly (I4C), Regina Doherty (FG), Aodhán Ó Riordáin (Lab), Lynn Boylan (SF), Sinéad Gibney (SD) and Bríd Smith (PBP–S).
Opinion polls
Nationwide party polling Last dateof polling Polling firm / Commissioner Samplesize SF FF FG GP Lab SD Aon II 27 May 2024Ireland Thinks/The Journal1,16117.417.7187.23.55.32.85 – 2322 May 2024Red C/Business Post1,02121142053543 – 2515 May 2024Ipsos B&A/Irish Times1,500162219463324217 May 2024Ireland Thinks/The Journal1,63322161963524 – 247 April 2024Ireland Thinks/The Journal1,33423172063635 – 177 February 2024Ireland Thinks/The Journal1,255 2619196443 – – 19 8 February 2020 2020 general election24.522.220.97.14.42.92.61.9 – 13.524 May 2019 2019 EP election11.716.629.611.43.11.2 2.3 – – 24.1
Candidate polling
Dublin Last dateof polling Polling firm / Commissioner Samplesize Andrews (FF) (SF) Doherty (FG) (Lab) Cuffe (GP) Smith Daly (I4C) Gibney (SD) (II) Doolan (SF) Considine (Aon) OthersIreland Thinks/Sunday Independent49614.111.2157.47.44.88.34.69.23.42.112.5Ipsos B&A/The Irish Times50018151210866553214Ireland Thinks/Sunday Independent4571716147865473211
Midlands–North-West Last dateof polling Polling firm / Commissioner Samplesize Flanagan (Ind) Walsh (FG) Cowen (FF) Chambers (FF) Carberry (FG) Gildernew (SF) Mullooly (II) MacManus (SF) Blaney (FF) Casey (Ind) Tóibín (Aon) OthersIreland Thinks/Sunday Independent61412.112.510.55.377.26.45.62.62.97.520.5Ipsos B&A/The Irish Times5001110109987644417Ireland Thinks/Sunday Independent631109106988724621
South Last dateof polling Polling firm / Commissioner Samplesize Kelly (FG) Kelleher (FF) Funchion (SF) Ní Mhurchú (FF) Gavan (SF) Hourigan (Lab) McNamara (Ind) Mullins (FG) Blighe (IF) O'Sullivan (GP) Wallace (I4C) Doyle (SD) OthersIreland Thinks/Sunday Independent66018.514.49.54.65.73.69.94.24.36.24.73.310.5Ipsos B&A/The Irish Times50023181176544433210Ireland Thinks/Sunday Independent64314161345386455512
Results
MEPs elected
Constituency NamePartyEP group Dublin Regina Doherty Barry Andrews Lynn Boylan Aodhán Ó Ríordáin Midlands–North-West Luke 'Ming' Flanagan Barry Cowen Maria Walsh Nina Carberry Ciaran Mullooly South Seán Kelly Billy Kelleher Michael McNamara Cynthia Ní Mhurchú Kathleen Funchion Source: RTÉ News
The elected MEPs took office on 16 July. This left four vacancies in the Dáil and one vacancy in the Seanad. Another senator elected as an MEP had resigned her Seanad seat on 10 July, and was replaced by a nominee on the same day. A writ for by-elections for the vacancies in the Dáil must be moved within 6 months of that date.
Notes
References
External links