Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise on the Adjournment the need to take steps immediately to ensure that those added to the register of electors in the run-up to the next election, whatever that may be, are full-time residents at the stated address. I ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to consider the use of PPS numbers along with a proof of address as the minimum requirement.

On 16 June I received an answer to a parliamentary question regarding the number of people added to the electoral register on a county-by-county basis leading up to the local and European Parliament elections. The Minister admitted that 72,000 names were allowed nationally. I appreciate that the law allows this but I believe that not enough time is allowed between the closing date and the need for publication. The additional lists are made available to candidates to allow them to canvass. It was at this point that some of my party's candidates and workers raised some questions with me regarding difficulties in finding some of these new voters at their addresses. I wish to make it clear I have never made any statement on this issue other than to answer media questions based on my original parliamentary question.

The staff of Monaghan County Council do a good job, adhere to all the regulations and are above reproach. I am sure that the same goes for all other local authority personnel. My only interest in this issue is that proper structures be put in place for the future to allow everyone who has the right to vote, from whatever background or country, is ensured of having a vote but that no one else is. It is very annoying for people who have lived in the country all their lives and were previously on the electoral register to find on arrival at the polling booth that they cannot vote because their names are not on the register. Nor is it acceptable that people can vote because they have been added to the register inappropriately.

The programme for Government promised the introduction of an electoral commission to run elections and compile registers. Fine Gael agrees with this in principle, but allowing the council staff to use PPS numbers and proper proof of address would suffice. There is no point in change for the sake of change.

From personal experience I know how every vote is important. I won a seat in the 2002 general election by one vote in every box in County Monaghan. Fianna Fáil lost a local authority seat in west Cavan in the recent local elections by only one or three votes, depending on which count we consider. Many comments and much media coverage have been generated by this election in County Monaghan. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, cannot ignore the general anxiety on all sides of the political divide. I want to ensure the Minister and others that I want to encourage all newcomers from eastern Europe or elsewhere to take part in our political and electoral systems. The Minister's party gained a town council seat in Carrickmacross by nominating a non-Irish national to the Green Party ticket and that gain was against the national trend.

We have debated the electoral register in the House on many occasions. Students are often registered at the address where they live when attending college and also registered at home. The same applies to some people working away from home. The PPS number should address this issue. If I telephone a social welfare office in Dublin, Sligo or elsewhere and give a PPS number the official can confirm the information I want. If I telephone the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and give a herd number, the official can advise me on the herd status or payment, or where each animal tag number should be. In 2009 we should be able to trace our voters to ensure that all those and only those entitled to vote can do so by right and by law.

This issue has caused considerable discussion and reaction. It is important to come up with a foolproof system that guarantees the right to vote, but only for those residing in this country.

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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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.