Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

We probably all agree the issues surrounding the electoral register need to be addressed urgently. Those issues, including the over-statement of people on the register, have been around a long time. It was early in my political life when the register was properly dealt with by local authorities and the political system.

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, announced a number of measures to improve the accuracy of the register and is advancing these as quickly as possible so a significant improvement will be achieved. The crucial date is 1 November, six months from now. Officials from the Minister's Department have discussed these issues with a specially convened group of county managers, which had its latest meeting yesterday. The measures include the use of census enumerators or other temporary personnel to support local authorities in preparing the next register of electors and correcting it as part of an intensive registration campaign to be conducted during the summer. The Minister is prepared to increase ring-fenced financial resources for local authorities this year to update the register. They can deal with the matter on a full-time or overtime basis. An early start will be made on the local authority register work for the next campaign. An intensive advertising campaign has been under way for the past few years and an on-the-ground campaign is now necessary.

Other initiatives announced by the Minister include new arrangements for the removal of the names of deceased persons from the register and improved online search facilities for people to check they are correctly registered. A new software package has been devised for that purpose which makes that exercise fairly simple compared to a system which, if complicated or not, was not corrected for a number of years.

Voter fraud is one of the major issues which concerns me if not everyone else. Controls at all polling stations at election time will be strengthened, with updated guidelines in the area, before the next general election. The next register will be published in draft on 1 November. These are the most practical, sensible and realistic measures we can take in this area. I assure Deputy Kenny this issue is under consideration all winter and spring, and the measures are now being well advanced by the Minister.

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