Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will confirm that there is no cross checking of information provided on voters' registration forms; if persons claiming to be at a specific address are accepted without check; if persons claiming to be Irish citizens are accepted without check; if in urban areas enumerators calling to homes fail to get a response in 25% to 30% of cases and in inner city apartment complexes this is higher; if local authorities have no facility for cress checking with RSI numbers or citizenship numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33455/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The compilation and publication of the register of electors is a matter for each local registration authority in accordance with electoral law. It is the duty of local authorities to ensure as far as possible the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the register and their work in this area includes the carrying out of house-to-house enquiries, delivery of registration forms and running local awareness campaigns.

The Electoral Act 1992 provides that local authorities may require individuals to give any information in their possession which the authority needs for the purposes of preparing the register. The Act also provides that local authorities may require individuals to produce documentary evidence, including a birth certificate or a certificate of naturalisation, or to make a statutory declaration regarding their age or citizenship.

In April 2006, I announced a package of measures to assist local authorities in their work on preparing the 2007/8 Register. The measures included the drawing-up of detailed procedures to be followed by local authorities in preparing the next register. The procedures include a provision 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, written notification is to be given cautioning of the danger of being omitted from the register. A person not on the draft register when published on 1 November may apply (before 25 November) for inclusion on the final register to be published on 1 February 2007, or may apply for inclusion on the supplement to the register which closes on the fifteenth day before the next polling day.

The use of personal identifying numbers for registration purposes is not provided for under the law governing the use of such numbers, or under electoral law. In addition, in relation to PPS numbers, a total of 5 million numbers have been issued in comparison with the 3.1 million voters on the electoral register. However, I have indicated that I am open to longer-term ideas for electoral reform, including in relation to the register, on a cross-party basis.