VOTING:IRELAND IS expected to record the highest turnout of any EU member state in today's European Parliament elections.
A recent EU-wide survey found that turnout is likely to be higher here than anywhere else in the union. It found that two-thirds of Irish people say they will definitely vote in the elections compared to an EU average of 43 per cent.
Belgium is the second-highest ranked state for turnout, with 64 per cent of Belgians saying they will vote, while just 16 per cent of Slovakians plan to cast a ballot.
Ireland also ranked as the most interested electorate, with 72 per cent of voters saying they are interested in today’s poll and just 27 per cent saying they are not interested. Turnout for the 2004 European elections was 58.5 per cent in Ireland, up from 50.2 per cent in the previous elections in 1999. The increase in turnout was largely attributed to the referendum on citizenship that took place on the same day.
The high level of interest this year could be explained by the fact that local elections are being held on the same day as the European polls. The deteriorating economic situation may also play a role.
According to Prof Richard Sinnott from the school of politics and international relations at UCD, there have only been two occasions – 1984 and 1994 – when the European elections in Ireland were not accompanied by another contest such as a local election or referendum. “The turnout in those two European Parliament contests was in the 40s,” he said.
On an EU basis, overall turnout has dropped at every European election since the first directly elected parliament sat in 1979.