Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made towards the establishment of an independent electoral commission as proposed in the programme for Government and the revised programme for Government; if it is his intention that the electoral commission will produce a new national rolling electoral register which is not specifically mentioned in the revised programme for Government; if the 12 month target set for the electoral commission to propose reforms will run from 10 October 2009 or a date following the establishment of the commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42936/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The programme for Government, agreed in 2007, 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, take over the functions of the Standards in Public Office Commission relating to election spending and examine the issue of financing the political system.

The renewed programme for Government, agreed in October 2009, reaffirms this commitment and states that an independent Electoral Commission will incorporate the functions of the Standards in Public Office Commission, with enhanced powers of inspection. The renewed programme sets out the following responsibilities which the Commission will be mandated to fulfil: to decide the constituency boundaries; administer the voting registration process; run voter education programmes; advise on mechanisms to increase the participation of women in political life, including the use of additional criteria for public funding which encourages more women and lesser represented groups; and recommend revised guidelines on the declaration of donations for political purposes.

In addition, the renewed programme states that, within 12 months, the Commission will also propose reforms to the electoral system, including:

· make recommendations on the feasibility of extending the franchise for Presidential Elections to the Irish abroad;

· examine and make recommendations for changes to the electoral system for Dáil elections, including the number of deputies and their means of elections;

· outline new electoral systems for Seanad Éireann;

· advise on the basis for European elections to reflect new realities of the role and influence of the European Parliament, including consideration of moving towards one national constituency and using a list system;

· make recommendations on the possibility of extending the franchise for local elections to those aged 16 or over;

· set minimum standards for the taking and publication of political polls within the state to ensure fairness and accuracy, and;

· consider options for the timing of elections for Local Authorities, the Dáil, Seanad and European Parliament. This should include the possibility of 'mid-term' elections and running some elections on a 'staggered' or 'rolled' basis so that elections do not fall on the same day for every candidate or chamber.

In implementing the commitments as set out in the 2007 programme for Government, and 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 in February 2009. The report is available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. Written submissions received to date as part of the consultation process are currently being considered. While the formal closing date for written submissions has passed, I will still welcome and consider any views and observations that are put forward by interested individuals and organisations.

In developing and bringing forward proposals for the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission, based on the commitments contained in the programme for Government and the renewed programme for Government, I will take into account the report prepared by the UCD group and views put forward as part of the consultation process.