European Parliament launches ‘Use Your Vote’ campaign

The European Parliament in Ireland has launched the ‘Use Your Vote’ campaign to drive voter turnout ahead of the European elections on June 7.

Organised by the European Parliament Liaison Office (EPLO) in Ireland, the ‘Use Your Vote’ campaign is bringing a European Elections 2024 Roadshow to each of Ireland’s three European Parliament constituencies, including Ireland Midlands-North-West.

EPLO are holding a number of events to demonstrate the impact the EU has on the daily lives of people living in Ireland, including people in Mayo, and why they should vote in the European elections.

The findings of new research into Irish sentiment towards the EU, carried out among the public by Red C, have been published to coincide with the launch of the campaign. 

Poll results show that a majority of the population recognises the large contribution EU membership has had on Ireland, including in relation to freedom of travel, the availability of workers, and human rights.

Seven in ten people believe that EU membership has improved the overall quality of life in Ireland.

According to the new research, there is high agreement among people that many of our most important laws come from the EU, providing an important layer of democracy for Ireland. 

There is also high agreement that the shared nature of regulations and directives between member states, meaning that no one member state can undercut others by having lower standards, is important for the protection of human rights and equality, workers’ rights and employment law, online safety, and environmental protection and climate action.

The vast majority of Irish people recognise the importance of EU representation.

According to the poll, and for the majority, it is important for Ireland to have MEPs that will actively advocate for Ireland's interests within the EU. 

The research also shows there is an appetite among three in four Irish adults to hear more about the goings-on of the European Parliament.

EU citizens who witnessed first-hand some of the most tumultuous and significant events in Europe’s recent history feature in a new short film being released as part of the EU-wide ‘Use Your Vote’ campaign.

Now grandparents, the four-minute film shows them today describing to their grandchildren the world-changing moments they experienced.

Their testimonies are intended as a powerful statement about the importance of voting in the European elections to protect democracy for future generations. The short film can be viewed on the ‘Use Your Vote’ website. 

Attending the launch of the campaign in Midlands-North-West, head of office (acting) of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Ireland, Fionnuala Croker, said: “The centre piece of our campaign is our four-minute ‘Use Your Vote’ film, which features people in Europe who have witnessed first-hand the transformative power of democracy in their lives. These exceptional individuals wanted to pass on their personal stories to their grandchildren and the next generation of Europeans more widely. 

“Their testimonies paint a story of how voting is not something we should take for granted. The more people who vote, the stronger is our democracy. For this reason, we hope to achieve as high a turnout as possible on June 7.”

For more information about the ‘Use Your Vote’ campaign, visit their website.