Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The Government in 2011 set out a broad and ambitious programme for political reform. Responsibility for this rests with a number of Ministers. My responsibility is in the areas of electoral and local government reform.

On 15 December 2011, I published the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill. This makes provision for the restriction of corporate donations, a reduction in the amounts that can be received as political donations and a reduction in the thresholds for declaring such donations. Political parties will be required to submit their annual accounts to the Standards in Public Office Commission for publication.

The Bill also includes a provision linking the achievement of a gender balance in the selection of candidates of political parties at a general election to the State funding provided to parties under the Electoral Act 1997. The Bill commenced Second Stage in the Seanad today and I look forward to its early enactment in 2012.

The Government legislative programme announced on 11 January makes provision for the publication in 2012 of the electoral (amendment) (referendum spending and miscellaneous provisions) Bill. This Bill will provide for the disclosure of expenditure and donations at referendum campaigns and for the extension of the spending limit period that applies at presidential, Dáil, European and local elections.

The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2011, enacted in July 2011, changed the terms of reference of the constituency commission to provide for a reduced number of Deputies. Section 9(1) of the Electoral Act 1997 requires a constituency commission to present its report to the Chairman of the Dáil no later than three months after the publication by the CSO of the final results of the census in respect of the total population of the State. I understand the CSO intends to publish the final results of the 2011 census at the end of March 2012.

Based on the experience with reports presented by previous constituency commissions, I expect to bring forward legislation this year arising from the constituency commission's report. I will outline my plans for local government reform later when replying to the separate questions on today's Order Paper. As I already indicated to Deputy McGrath, I expect to bring proposals to Government in two months' time.

See this speech in context