Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has legislative proposals to allow Independent TDs use the term "independent" on the ballot paper instead of non-party at all future elections. [13927/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Electoral law sets out a procedure for the nomination of candidates including a provision enabling a candidate to include, on his or her nomination paper, and which subsequently appears on the ballot paper, a reference to the registered political party of which he or she is a candidate. Persons who are not members of a political party may enter on the nomination paper the expression "Non-Party" or may leave the space blank.

These provisions are based on the premise that the expression "Non-Party" on the ballot paper indicates adequately that a person does not belong to a political party. There are no proposals for legislative change in this regard.