Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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493. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of dealings with various groups, Irish or otherwise, his Department has had regarding the Citizens Initiative; if he will detail the process his Department has in the verification of signatures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25855/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The European Union (Citizens’ Initiative) Regulations 2012 put in place the arrangements necessary for the implementation in Ireland of the European Union Citizens Initiative. They designate the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government as the Competent Authority for the certification of online collection systems and the verification and certification of Statements of Support. In order to be eligible to support a citizens’ initiative, signatories of Statements of Support are required to be citizens of the Union and old enough to be entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament. The Regulations provide that the register of European Electors and related registration records may be examined to assess the eligibility of signatories and the validity of data provided by signatories in Ireland.

To date, no initiative has arisen requiring the verification and certification of Statements of Support in Ireland. Other than general telephone queries my Department has had no dealings with any group in relation to the European Union Citizen’s Initiative.