The basics of this local election are in many ways simple.
On 7 June people will vote to elect 949 councillors across 31 local authorities.
The political atmosphere pulsing through this election is less straightforward though.
Unquestionably the big issues are immigration, housing and investment in local communities.
But just how decisive will these factors be when people cast their vote in less than three weeks?
On Thursday, the party that won most of council seats in 2019 launched its local election campaign and confirmed that it will run 365 candidates.
Finna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said his party's priorities are to increase housing, improve the quality of community life and to address environmental challenges.
He also said that "levels of migration" and the impact on communities are a concern for many people.
Worrying mood stalks election campaign
The political atmosphere pulsing through the forthcoming local election is not straightforward, with immigration, housing and investment in local communities, common themes on the doorsteps.
