Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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181. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to simplify the voter registration process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56650/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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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.

The Electoral Reform Bill, which provides for the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission and the regulation of online political advertising also provides the legislative underpinning for the reform of the electoral registration process. The Bill was the subject of thorough pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Committee's report was published in August.

My Department is working with the Office of the Attorney General on the drafting of the Bill and good progress is being made.