Written answers

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Electoral Commission

9:00 pm

Photo of Jim O'KeeffeJim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position in relation to the establishment of an independent electoral commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24925/09]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission which will take responsibility for electoral administration and oversight, implement modern and efficient electoral practices, revise constituency boundaries, take charge of compiling a new national rolling Electoral Register, assume the functions of the Standards in Public Office Commission relating to election spending and examine the issue of financing the political system.

To assist in consideration of the issues involved, I commissioned a report by an expert group from University College Dublin. I published the report, entitled A Preliminary Study on the Establishment of an Electoral Commission in Ireland, for consultation on 10 February 2009, with a closing date for submissions of 26 June 2009. The report is available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. In addition to a public call for submissions to the consultation process, input has been sought from a number of bodies and organisations with a specific interest in the electoral system. These include the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Standards in Public Office Commission, all registered political parties in the State, as well as bodies representing Returning Officers and Local Authorities.

In developing and bringing forward proposals for the establishment of an Electoral Commission, I will take into account the report prepared by the UCD group and views put forward as part of the consultation process.

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