Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley. I thank Deputy Crawford for raising this important matter.

As the House is aware, electoral law provides that the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local registration authority. It is its duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the co-operation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the register. Authorities were required to publish the final register for 2009-10 by 1 February last. To help people exercise their right to vote, individuals not on the register can be put on the supplement to the register up until 15 days before polling day.

To safeguard against abuse, the law provides that each application for entry on the supplement must be signed in the presence of a member of the Garda Síochána from the local Garda station who must first be satisfied as to the person's identity before signing, dating and stamping the form. The Garda may request photographic or other identification. Where the applicant is unable to go to the local Garda station and sets out the reason in writing, the form can be signed in the presence of an official of the registration authority. Again, photographic or other identification may be required. If neither option is viable due to physical illness or disability, the application form must be accompanied by a medical certificate. Applications must be made directly by the applicant to the registration authority.

The Electoral Act 1992 provides also that a person is entitled to be registered where he or she is ordinarily resident on the qualifying date and that the registration authority may for the purposes of its duties in relation to the preparation of a register require a person to give any information in their possession which the registration authority may require. Returns received from registration authorities by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government indicate that more than 72,000 names were included on the supplement before the recent elections. The Minister believes the current legislative arrangements relating to the inclusion of persons on the supplement strike a reasonable balance between having a flexible facility to allow people to exercise their right to vote while ensuring that there are adequate provisions in place to counteract possible abuse.

Detailed implementation of these legislative provisions is a matter for registration authorities, returning officers, the Garda Síochána and others involved in the electoral process at local level. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has no role in these matters and it is not appropriate that the Minister should be involved. The Minister is aware that the question of alleged irregularities in the Register of Elections in the recent elections in the Ballybay area of Monaghan has been referred for investigation to the Garda Síochána by the registration authority. That investigation must be allowed to take its course.

The programme for Government contains a commitment to establish an independent electoral commission and states that the commission's responsibilities will include taking charge of the compilation of a new national rolling electoral register. The House may be assured that the question of the use of PPS numbers for electoral registration purposes will be considered fully in this context.

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