Ms Fiona Quinn:

I am joined by my colleagues, Mr. Barry Ryan, principal officer in the franchise section in the Department and Ms Emer Connolly, principal officer with responsibility for the modernisation of the electoral register project. We thank the committee for the opportunity to brief members on the current electoral reform initiatives that are underway in the Department. I will outline the key elements of our reform agenda priorities.

In December, two public consultation processes were launched and both will run until mid-March. One related to the proposed establishment of an electoral commission and the other is seeking views on the modernisation of the electoral register. I will address the establishment of an electoral commission and its context. The Government made a commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government to establish a commission. A number of reports on electoral commissions have been published over the years. The most recent report, which is largely informing current deliberations on the establishment of a commission in Ireland, was published by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht in January 2016. That report contains a series of recommendations regarding the establishment of an electoral commission, including functions that should be assigned to it. While there is significant public trust in our electoral system, it is expected that the establishment of an independent electoral commission will build on that trust and help bring better cohesion and co-ordination to the electoral system, improving the administration of elections.

Electoral commissions carry out vital functions around the world and while their role may vary from country to country, generally they are independent bodies that oversee and support the running of free and fair elections; set performance standards; regulate and monitor political funding and election expenditure; manage the registration of political parties; conduct research into electoral matters and develop and implement voter participation and engagement programmes. These are the types of functions being considered for Ireland's electoral commission. In December, the Department published a regulatory impact analysis, RIA, on the establishment of an electoral commission. The establishment of such a body will constitute a significant reform to the current regime which has been in place since the foundation of the State, and it is, therefore, right and proper that we dedicate sufficient time to allow interested parties to inform our deliberations and to have input to that reform project. The RIA puts forward a number of options for consideration about how an electoral commission might be established including the functions that could be assigned to it. All inputs received as part of the public consultation will be analysed and the content will be used to inform a preferred option for establishing an electoral commission, which will be brought to Government for consideration. The closing date for receipt of submissions is Friday, 15 March 2019.

Significant work was done by the Department in 2018 on a project to modernise the electoral register, and, in December, the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, launched a public consultation which is seeking views on a set of proposals. The proposals include the introduction of a simplified registration process; a reduction in the number of application forms; online registration as an optional alternative to paper-based registration; and the move from household-based registration to individual registration. Verification of identity through the use of personal public service numbers, PPSNs, is also proposed. The proposals arise from a commitment in A Programme for a Partnership Government to examine the voter registration process.

The current system has served us well and will continue to do so. The proposals on which we are asking people's views in the public consultation are aimed at enabling people to register in simpler yet secure ways. As well as removing an excessive number of steps involved in applying to be included on the register, the proposals would further increase the register's ability to keep up to date with changing individual circumstances and, therefore, enhance its integrity. Reducing the number of different registration forms, allowing people to register online, and introducing a process of continuous or rolling registration would make the registration process much more user-friendly and similar to the way people interact with other State services. Having a registration process that recognises and facilitates more frequent changes of address is crucial to maintaining an accurate register as efficiently as possible.

The proposals for the establishment of an electoral commission and the modernisation of the electoral register represent two significant electoral reform initiatives. The public consultations that are under way in respect of both initiatives will run until 15 March. The outcome of the consultation processes will inform the development of detailed proposals for implementation and the Department is encouraging everyone to consider these proposals and have their say. My colleagues and I will be happy to further discuss the electoral reform initiatives if members have questions.