Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
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409. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason citizens completing register-to-vote forms are now required to pay for postage, when previously such forms could be sent via freepost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22727/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Electoral Reform Act 2022, enacted on 25 July, delivers the legislative underpinning for a range of significant electoral reforms set out in the “Programme for Government – Our Shared Future”. Provisions commenced on 13 October under S.I. No. 512 of 2022, included those provisions necessary for the introduction of the new processes in relation to electoral registration. These provisions include the introduction of rolling (continuously updated) registration; the simplification of forms and the overall registration process, including the provision of an online option; and the use of PPSNs to enable cross-checking of information provided by applicants.

To ensure that the benefits of the new modernised registration processes provided for under the legislation are available across the country, the www.checktheregister.ie site was upgraded and rolled out for public use in October 2022. The upgraded site enables people to submit applications to register, confirm or update their own details quickly and easily online with their PPSN, date of birth and Eircode. Voters in the Dublin region have the additional option of Voter.ie to register or update their details using MyGovID authentication.

With the shift to individual and online registration the original Household Form (RFA), which did not require an envelope or stamp when returned to a local authority, has now become obsolete and is no longer in use. Paper forms are however still an option for those who wish to, or have to use them. I understand that some local authorities currently accept forms that are returned without a fixed stamp and have freepost written on the envelope. As local authorities are liable for the freepost charges I intend shortly to survey all the local authorities on the matter, following which the issue will be reviewed.

To raise awareness of the new process and the need for everyone to engage with their local authorities in respect of the register, a national awareness campaign took place in November 2022. It encouraged the public to visit the checktheregister website to either confirm or update their details. As of the 10th May over 72,500 applications to register or update details across all 31 local authority areas have been received via checktheregister. A further awareness campaign is in planning for the summer months.