Readers are invited to visit a new website which allows voters to compare their views with those of candidates in the Carlow-Kilkenny byelection.

Whichcandidate.ie seeks to make voting decisions easier by asking candidates to clearly state where they stand on each issue and enable voters to easily see which candidates share their views.

The analysis for the website, which was conducted by Dr Rory Costello from the University of Limerick, was conducted on foot of a comprehensive survey on the views of the candidates, carried out in conjunction with The Irish Times.

Candidates were asked about 11 policy areas: taxes and spending; water charges; mortgages and rent; healthcare; education; infrastructure (wind farms, pylons, roads); ethical issues (such as abortion and same- sex marriage); immigration; wages and employment; crime and policing; and political reform.

All but two of the 13 candidates participated in the survey, which allows readers to compare their views on major national and local issues in Carlow-Kilkenny.

The Carlow-Kilkenny byelection takes places on May 22nd.

Readers can compare the views of byelection candidates at whichcandidate.ie