Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a date has been set for the local and European elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36823/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The timing of European Parliament elections is determined by the EU Council of Ministers by reference to the period corresponding to the first direct elections in 1979. Accordingly, they are held within a specified four-day period in June every five years subsequent to 1979. The Council announced in June 2008 that the 2009 European Parliament elections will take place between 4 and 7 June 2009.

Each member state must fix a polling date within this period and a polling day order will be made by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government under section 10 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 at the appropriate stage. Although a formal decision has not been made in the matter, I expect that, as on previous occasions, polling at the European Parliament and local elections will take place on the same day in June 2009.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a person may contest the local and European elections at the same time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36824/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Under section 13(1) of the Local Government Act 2001, a person is disqualified from being elected or co-opted to, or from being a member of, a local authority if he or she is a member of the European Parliament. Under section 2(4) of that Act, reference to being disqualified from election or co-option includes disqualification from nomination for election or co-option.