Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

257. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to introduce online voter registration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27612/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Programme for Government - Our Shared Futurecommits to a broad range of electoral reforms including a commitment to the modernisation of voter registration. The modernisation includes the introduction of rolling registration; the simplification of forms and processes; the gradual roll-out of an online option for registration; a single, national database within which Local Authorities would continue to maintain their own registers; and the use of PPSNs in the registration process. Together, these reforms will simplify and streamline the process of registration, making it easier for people to register to vote and update their details.

As part of the commitment in relation to the gradual roll out of optional online registration, Voter.ie, the on-line platform being piloted in the four Dublin local authority areas, is under assessment for suitability as a national system. The evaluation is focused in particular on security and scalability and my Department has established a governance structure, bringing together central and local government experts, to consider the further development of Voter.ie.

The Government has recently approved the drafting of an Electoral Reform Bill to underpin the electoral registration reforms, among other things. The general scheme of the bill is currently the subject of pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage and is available on my Department’s website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/34cf6-general-scheme-of-the-electoral-reform-bill-2020/.