European Parliament Elections Act 1997
Number 2 of 1997
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS ACT 1997
REVISED
Updated to 1 October 2025
This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 (2/1997). It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.
All Acts up to and including the Statute Law Revision Act 2025 (10/2025), enacted 23 July 2025, and all statutory instruments up to and including the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 (Fit and Proper Person) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 467 of 2025), made 1 October 2025, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to
revisedacts@lawreform.ie.
Number 2 of 1997
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS ACT 1997
REVISED
Updated to 1 October 2025
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Preliminary and General
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Section |
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Short title, collective citation, construction and commencement. |
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Elections
Enactments Repealed
Regulations Revoked
Rules for the conduct of the election, etc.
Constituencies
Form of ballot paper
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Acts Referred to |
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No. 19 of 1963 |
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No. 23 of 1992 |
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No. 12 of 1986 |
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No. 35 of 1986 |
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No. 30 of 1977 |
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European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1992 |
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No. 6 of 1984 |
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No. 27 of 1972 |
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European Communities Acts, 1972 to 1995 |
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No. 30 of 1993 |
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European Parliament Elections Acts, 1992 to 1997 |
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No. 25 of 1973 |
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No. 11 of 1991 |
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Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851 |
14 & 15 Vict. c.93 |
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No. 24 of 1983 |
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No. 28 of 1993 |
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No. 12 of 1994 |
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No. 27 of 1965 |
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Number 2 of 1997
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS ACT 1997
REVISED
Updated to 1 October 2025
AN ACT TO CONSOLIDATE WITH AMENDMENTS THE ENACTMENTS RELATING TO ELECTIONS TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND TO GIVE EFFECT TO COUNCIL DIRECTIVE NO. 93/109/EC OF 6 DECEMBER, 1993 AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.
[24th February, 1997]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:
Annotations
Modifications (not altering text):
C1
Functions transferred and references to "Cathaoirleach" or "Cathaoirligh", "Leas-Chathaoirleach", "chief executive" and "deputy chief executive" construed (16.05.2024) by Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024 (7/2024), ss. 10, 23, 25, 26, 28 and sch. 1 parts 1, 2, S.I. No. 207 of 2024.
Functions of Mayor
10. (1) All functions (other than functions conferred by or under an enactment specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1) that, immediately before the vesting day, vested in the Cathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, vest in the Mayor.
(2) All functions (other than functions conferred by or under an enactment specified in Part 2 of Schedule 1) that, immediately before the vesting day, vested in the chief executive of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, vest in the Mayor.
(3) From the vesting day, a reference in any enactment (other than an enactment specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1) to Cathaoirleach shall, in so far as the reference applies to the Cathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the Mayor, or as including a reference to the Mayor, as the context requires.
(4) From the vesting day, a reference in any enactment (other than an enactment specified in Part 2 of Schedule 1) to chief executive shall, in so far as that reference applies to the chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the Mayor, or as including a reference to the Mayor, as the context requires.
(5) This section shall apply subject to the modifications of the Principal Act specified in Schedule 3.
...
Functions of Príomh Chomhairleoir
23. (1) All functions conferred by or under an enactment specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 that, immediately before the vesting day, vested in the Cathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, vest in the Príomh Chomhairleoir.
(2) From the vesting day, a reference in an enactment specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to Cathaoirleach or Cathaoirligh shall, in so far as that reference applies to the Cathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the Príomh Chomhairleoir, or as including a reference to the Príomh Chomhairleoir, as the context may require.
(3) This section shall apply subject to the modifications of the Principal Act specified in Schedule 3.
...
Functions of Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir
25. (1) All functions conferred by or under any enactment that, immediately before the vesting day, vested in the Leas-Chathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, vest in the Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir.
(2) From the vesting day, a reference in any enactment to Leas-Chathaoirleach shall, in so far as that reference applies to the Leas-Chathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir, or as including a reference to the Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir, as the context may require.
(3) This section shall apply subject to the modifications of the Principal Act specified in Schedule 3.
Director general
26. (1) The chief executive of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after the vesting day, be known as the director general of Limerick City and County Council and is in this Act referred to as the “director general”.
(2) The person who, immediately before the vesting day, was the chief executive of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, continue in office and be referred to in accordance with subsection (1).
(3) On and after the vesting day, a reference in an enactment specified in Part 2 of Schedule 1 to chief executive shall, in so far as that reference applies to the chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the director general, or as including a reference to the director general, as the context may require.
(4) This section shall apply subject to the modifications of the Principal Act specified in Schedule 3.
...
Deputy director general
28. (1) On and after the vesting day, a deputy chief executive appointed by the director general under section 148 of the Principal Act shall be known as the deputy director general of Limerick City and County Council and is, in this Act, referred to as the “deputy director general”.
(2) The person who, immediately before the vesting day, was the deputy chief executive of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, continue in office and be referred to in accordance with subsection (1).
(3) On and after the vesting day, a reference in any enactment to deputy chief executive shall, in so far as the reference applies to the deputy chief executive of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the deputy director general, or as including a reference to the deputy director general, as the context may require.
(4) This section shall apply subject to the modifications of the Principal Act specified in Schedule 3.
...
SCHEDULE 1
PART 1
Enactments for Purposes of Sections 10 and 23
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Number and Year (1) |
Provision (2) |
Extent of Modification (3) |
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No. 37 of 2001 |
Local Government Act 2001 |
Sections 11(5)(b), 11(8), 31(4)(a), 31(5), 31(7), 31(9), 31(11), 33, 34(2)(e), 36, 37, 38, 104(7)(a), 133(6)(a), 134(4)(b), 140(8), 141(1)(b), 141(4), 142(2)(a), 142(5)(f), 143(1), 147, 148, 158(3), 174(8), 178(2)(b), 178(5), 180(3)(a), 189(9), 190(9), 216(2)(a), 219(1) and 220(1); paragraphs 3(4), 4(2), 4(3), 6(1), 6(2), 6(3), 7(9), 10, 13(5)(e), 13(6) and 16(4)(c) of Schedule 10; paragraph 3 of Schedule 14. |
PART 2
Enactments for Purposes of Sections 10 and 26
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Number and Year (1) |
Short Title (2) |
Provision (3) |
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... |
... |
... |
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No. 2 of 1997 |
European Parliament Elections Act 1997 |
The whole Act. |
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... |
... |
... |
C2
Representative in the European Parliament construed (27.02.2004) by European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Act 2004 (2/2004), s. 5, commenced on enactment.
Adaptation of references.
5.—In the Act of 1997 and every other Act of the Oireachtas and every instrument made under any of those Acts, a reference to a representative in the European Parliament shall be construed as a reference to a member of the European Parliament.
C3
Election agent construed (1.01.1998) by Electoral Act 1997 (25/1997), s. 28(7), commenced as per s. 1(6)(b).
Appointment of national agent and election agent.
28.— ...
(7) Subparagraph (a) of paragraph (1) of Rule 24 of the Second Schedule to the Act of 1997 is hereby repealed and every reference in the said Act to an election agent shall be construed as a reference to the election agent appointed under this section by the candidate concerned.
...
Editorial Notes:
E1
Previous affecting provisions: certain functions assigned, references construed and Act applied with modifications for purposes of polls on 7 June 2024 (23.05.2024) by Electoral Act, 1992 (Section 165) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 238 of 2024); spent as per reg. 3.
E2
Previous affecting provisions: certain functions assigned, references construed and Act applied with modifications for purposes of polls on 24 May 2019 (15.05.2019) by Electoral Act, 1992 (Section 165) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 214 of 2019); spent as per reg. 3.
E3
Previous affecting provisions: certain functions assigned, references construed and Act applied with modifications for purposes of polls on 23 May 2014 (15.05.2014) by Electoral Act 1992 (Section 165) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 204 of 2014); spent as per reg. 3.
E4
Previous affecting provisions: certain functions assigned, references construed and Act applied with modifications for purposes of polls on 5 June 2009 (13.05.2009) by Electoral Act 1992 (Section 165) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 179 of 2009); spent as per reg. 3.
E5
Previous affecting provisions: certain functions assigned, references construed and Act applied with modifications for purposes of polls on 11 June 2004 (27.05.2004) by Electoral Act, 1992 (Section 165) Regulations 2004 (S.I. No. 237 of 2004); spent as per reg. 3.
E6
Previous affecting provisions: certain functions assigned, references construed and Act applied with modifications for purposes of polls on 11 June 1999 (27.05.1999) by Electoral Act, 1992 (Section 165) Regulations 1999 (S.I. No. 153 of 1999); spent as per reg. 3.