Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 209: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the percentage of the number of persons on the register of electors who have indicated that their details can be used for a purpose other than electoral or other statutory use; the reason behind the statutory requirement that electors must provide such an indication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23504/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In response to concerns expressed about uses of the register of electors and following consultation with the Data Protection Commissioner, the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001 provided for an edited version of the register in addition to the full register.

The relevant provisions are aimed at ensuring that the full register is used solely for electoral or other statutory purposes, while permitting registration details to be used for other purposes, through the edited register, with the consent of the persons concerned. The edited register, therefore, contains only the names of persons who have no objection to their details being used for purposes other than electoral or other statutory purposes.

The edited register provisions came into force on 1 November 2004 and it is an offence, under section 13A of the Electoral Act 1992, to use the full register except for electoral or other statutory purposes.

The percentage of electors on the edited register at 15 February 2009 was 8%.