Election fever is cranking up, with the Government setting in train plans to have ballot papers ready to go in the event of a snap general election. The Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government has sought bids from suppliers to provide four million ballot papers for the 39 Dáil constituencies in the next general election. Although a general election is unlikely amid the ongoing uncertainty over Brexit, it is increasingly anticipated that either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, or both, will favour an early election date, once the nature of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU is clear. The Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government has sought bids for the printing, supply, and distribution of an estimated four million ballot papers, as well as 24,000 posters. The department has estimated it will spend €570,000, excluding VAT, on the cost of the ballot papers.

Source: Irish Examiner July 02, 2019 05:03 UTC