Written answers

Thursday, 12 February 2015

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Referendum Expenditure

Photo of Alan FarrellAlan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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89. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide approximate costings for all referenda, held by the State, since 2001, in tabular form; if he will provide estimated costings for the upcoming referenda in May 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6439/15]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The approximate costings for all referenda since 2001 are set out in the following table with the exception of the referenda held in 2004 and 2011*. The referenda in those years were not taken on their own but were combined and accounted for with European and Local Elections in 2004 and with a Presidential and bye-election in 2011. It is not, therefore, possible to give an accurate cost of the referenda as there would have been an extensive sharing of staff and facilities for the different polls taken.

Month/ YearReferendumApproximate Cost
June 2001Prohibition of Death Penalty

International Criminal Court 

Treaty of Nice
€11.1m
March 2002 Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy €10.8m
October 2002Treaty of Nice €15.0m
June 2004 Citizenship*
June 2008 Treaty of Lisbon €22.2m
October 2009 Treaty of Lisbon €17.5m
October 2011 Houses of Oireachtas Enquiries 

Judges Remuneration
*
May 2012Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union€14.8m
November 2012Children €12.8m
October 2013Abolition of  Seanad

Court of Appeal
€14.4m


The costs of holding referenda, while significant, have been reduced since 2008. The estimated cost of the referenda (Marriage Equality & Qualifying Age for the Presidency) in May 2015 is c.€15 million. However if these referenda are held in conjunction with the forthcoming  bye-election it will be more difficult to isolate the actual cost of the referenda as staff and facilities are shared in the taking of polls and in the counting of votes.

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