Political parties could be forced to fill 40% of their nominations with women, migrants, and people from ethnic minorities under a new local election quota system. Around 12% of the population is now made up of migrants but just 31 non-Irish candidates ran in the last local elections in 2014, with three being elected. Minister of state for local government and electoral reform, John Paul Phelan, is working on the bill ahead of the 2019 local elections. British citizens may vote at Dáil elections, European elections and local elections. Non-EU citizens may vote at local elections only.

Source: Irish Examiner September 10, 2018 05:26 UTC