Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 497: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the contacts he has had with South Dublin County Council in respect of the voting register for Dublin south west; if he will give an assurance that everything possible will be done to ensure the accuracy of the register; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17285/06]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 503: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount to be allocated to each county for the purpose of updating electoral registers; the basis on which the sums were or will be calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17348/06]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 504: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authorities which have sought funds to update their electoral registers; the local authorities which have sought same; the number which have identified serious shortcomings with the register; the dialogue there has been between his Department and the local authorities on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17349/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 497, 503 and 504 together.

In law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the co-operation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register.

I recently announced a package of measures, to be implemented over the coming months, aimed at assisting registration authorities improve the Register. The measures include the use of Census enumerators or other temporary personnel to support local authorities in preparing the next Register, as part of an intensive registration campaign to be conducted this summer. Related to this, I am prepared to make increased, ring fenced financial resources available to local authorities this year to update the Register; the details involved are being examined at present.

An early start will be made to the local authority Register campaign for 2007-08 and there will also be an intensive information campaign. My Department will issue updated and consolidated Guidance to ensure that all local authorities work to the same template. The Guidance will tell local authorities to make maximum use of databases available to them to crosscheck the Register. New IT based arrangements to delete deceased persons from the Register have also been put in place.

My Department is now working with a group of local authority managers and senior officials to put in place an enhanced programme for improving the next Register. This would include ensuring that each household is visited and provided with forms and information at least twice, if necessary. In the event that this process does not satisfactorily register the household, it is proposed that written notification would then be given cautioning of the danger of being omitted from the Register.

I recognise that Deputies of all political parties will wish to avoid disenfranchising voters and to encourage the fullest possible voter participation. However, Deputies have equally expressed a concern, which I share, that there must be a more rigorous approach to compiling the Register.

I consider that there should be a broad political consensus on these issues. For this reason, I have written to the Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government requesting that the Committee arrange an early discussion on these issues. While specific issues appropriate to registration authorities are raised with, or brought to the attention of, my Department from time to time relating to the Register, in recent times I have received one request, which was in general terms, from a local authority (in November 2005 from Kildare County Council) seeking additional resources in relation to the Register. The letter did not provide substantive information in support of the request and was not considered to justify the establishment of special funding arrangements for the local authorities concerned, over and above those appropriate to local authorities generally.