Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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548. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the role his Department will have in the forthcoming referendum on voting age in May 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3267/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Thirty-Fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Age of Eligibility for Election to the Office of President) Bill 2015 was published on 26 January 2015. The Bill is to be debated in the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming weeks.

Following the publication of the Bill, I established a Referendum Commission under section 2 of the Referendum Act 1998 on 27 January 2015. The role of the Commission is to explain the subject matter of the referendum to the electorate, to promote public awareness of the referendum and to encourage the electorate to vote.

Whenever a Constitution Amendment Bill is passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, I am required under section 10 of the Referendum Act 1994 to make an order appointing polling day and at the same time appointing a Referendum Returning Officer under section 14 of the Referendum Act 1994. I will make the polling day order and the appointment for the forthcoming referendums in due course.