Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he intends to take to ensure that the register used in the next general election is accurate; if he intends to review the methods used for reviewing the register each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36669/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has met with the Department of Social and Family Affairs to discuss the use of PPS numbers in compiling the electoral register [30981/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 83 and 117 together.

The compilation and publication of the register of electors is a matter for each local registration authority in accordance with electoral law and includes the carrying out of house-to-house enquiries, delivery of registration forms and running local awareness campaigns. It is the duty of registration authorities to ensure as far as possible the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the register. In carrying out this work, registration authorities depend to a significant degree on the co-operation and engagement of the general public.

The focus of my Department's work with regard to the register is to support and assist registration authorities through, inter alia, ensuring that an appropriate legislative framework is in place, developing best practice guidance for registration authorities and overseeing related national awareness campaigns.

In this regard, on 14 July 2005, my Department requested registration authorities to take all necessary steps to secure significant improvement in the quality of the register for their areas in 2006-07. New best practice guidance on preparing and maintaining the register has been drafted in my Department. The guidance has been sent to registration authorities, returning officers and the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Local Government for comment prior to finalisation. In view of the importance of the matter, authorities were asked on 10 November 2005 to implement the guidance immediately, including the carrying out by authorities of reviews of procedures used in compiling the register. A national awareness campaign associated with preparation of the next register has also recently concluded.

I will continue to keep these issues, including the scope for further improvements, under review. In this regard, the issue of use of PPS numbers in the context of electoral registration is being examined in conjunction with the Department of Social and Family Affairs and other relevant interests. In taking forward work regarding the register generally, it will be important to strike the right balance between, on the one hand, the requirement to maintain the security and integrity of the electoral process and, on the other, providing for a reasonable degree of flexibility in arrangements for registration.