Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Independents are not as active in this matter as the political parties. The latter have traditionally played a useful role in providing volunteers to check the registers in all the parishes and polling stations in the country. I regret, however, that they have become a little lazy in this regard.

We must ascertain what other arrangements can be made in this regard and I am making changes in the Bill to deal with the issue. A closing date always applies in respect of the supplementary electoral register but people will always try to get on the register at the last minute.

We made some inquiries regarding post offices and while we do not have figures, anecdotal evidence from the post office network suggests demand from people seeking to check the electoral register is insignificant. We will make alternative arrangements in council offices and libraries, as Senator Keane suggested. Informal feedback suggests there is little demand from members of the public to peruse documents of this nature in local post offices.

Registration authorities have been advised for some years to use the death event publication service, although inaccuracies are inevitable if one takes this option.

Public representatives in Dublin do not generally attend constituents' funerals.