Date confirmed for local and European elections

The people of Ireland will return to the polls for a second time this year on Friday, June 7.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has confirmed the date for the local and European elections and for another referendum.

This referendum, on joining the EU's Unified Patent Court, will be the third referendum of 2024, after the referenda on Family and Care that took place on March 8.

The court will rule on infringement and validity proceedings covering so-called Unitary Patents, which are recognised across the EU, and classic European patents, and is currently is currently in force in 17 member states.