Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 16 Dec 1937

Vol. 69 No. 17

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - The Electoral Register.

Mr. McMenamin

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state what steps have been taken in the various constituencies to check the work on the compilation of the Electoral Register, or to secure that persons engaged on the compilation of the register are carrying out their duties properly.

Minister for Local Government and Public Health (Mr. O Ceallaigh)

Weekly reports as to the progress of the preparation of the lists of electors are furnished by registration officers, with whom rests the responsibility for seeing that persons engaged on the compilation of the Register of Electors carry out their duties properly.

Mr. McMenamin

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state in respect of each constituency the number of claims to be registered on the Register of Electors at present in force made by persons whose names do not appear on the preliminary list of such electors published, and the number of such persons whose names were subsequently placed on the Register of Electors at present in force, and the number of such claims that were rejected.

Mr. O Ceallaigh

The information requested by the Deputy is not available for constituencies. The Register of Electors is prepared for registration areas, viz., counties and county boroughs. I will arrange to send the Deputy a statement showing in respect of each county and county borough:—

(a) the total number of claims lodged,

(b) the number lodged by persons other than the rate collector,

(c) the number of claims upheld, and

(d) the number of claims rejected.

Following is the statement:—

FIFTEENTH REGISTER

CLAIMS.

Authority	Total No. of claims lodged	No. lodged by persons other than Rate Collector	Number upheld	Number rejected
County Councils:
Carlow	85	39	77	8
Cavan	319	218	239	80
Clare	877	227	803	74
Cork	1,037	724	868	169
Donegal	808	243	706	102
Dublin	582	353	524	58
Galway	888	874	667	221
Kerry	1,034	1,034	823	211
Kildare	246	175	208	38
Kilkenny	555	305	465	90
Laoighis	135	65	132	3
Leitrim	128	128	94	34
Limerick	715	345	604	111
Longford	28	14	25	3
Louth	238	198	206	32
Mayo	137	114	118	19
Meath	371	153	359	12
Monaghan	344	190	259	85
Offaly	179	140	135	44
Roscommon	168	111	148	20
Sligo	248	67	225	23
Tipperary, N.R.	419	194	380	39
Tipperary, S.R.	327	152	299	28
Waterford	93	54	76	17
Westmeath	81	74	70	11
Wexford	260	165	223	37
Wicklow	65	65	60	5
County Boroughs:
Cork	353	353	342	11
Dublin	3,900	253	3,763	137
Limerick	99	94	98	1
Waterford	47	23	28	19
TOTAL	14,766	7,144	13,024	1,742

Mr. McMenamin

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether any cases of inefficiency or neglect of duty on the part of the various classes of persons charged with the compilation of the Electoral Register at present in force have come to the notice of his Department; and, if so, will he state the number of such cases in each constituency and the steps taken to deal with such inefficiency or neglect.

Mr. O Ceallaigh

There have been only two cases of complaint of neglect of duty. One of these did not appear to be well founded. The other is under investigation.

Mr. McMenamin

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state in reference to each of the present constituencies (1) the number of objections under Rule 12 of the Registration Rules in the First Schedule of the Electoral Act, 1923, made (a) to registrations, and (b) to claims to be registered in connection with the preparation of the Register of Electors at present in force, and (2) if he will state the number of such objections which were upheld and the number disallowed.

Mr. O Ceallaigh

The information requested by the Deputy is not available for constituencies. The Register of Electors is prepared for registration areas, which are counties and county boroughs. I will arrange to send the Deputy a statement showing:—

(a) the total number of objections made;

(b) the number of objections lodged by the registration officer;

(c) the number lodged by persons other than the registration officer or rate collector;

(d) the number of objections upheld, and

(e) the number of objections disallowed.

Following is the statement:—

OBJECTIONS.

Authority	Total No. of Objections Lodged	No. Lodged by Registration Officer under Rule 21	No. Lodged by Persons other than Registration Officer or Rate Collector	No. Upheld at Revision	Number Disallowed
County Councils:
Carlow	25	25	—	25	—
Cavan	53	53	—	53	—
Clare	40	40	—	33	7
Cork	1,361	1,214	147	1,178	183
Donegal	281	274	7	242	39
Dublin	22	—	22	9	13
Galway	1,097	1,097	—	1,097	—
Kerry	217	1	217	214	3
Kildare	217	217	—	201	16
Kilkenny	357	353	4	357	—
Laoighis	386	385	1	386	—
Leitrim	286	286	—	266	20
Limerick	1,129	1,112	17	1,107	22
Longford	—	—	—	—	—
Louth	234	234	—	207	27
Mayo	977	936	41	920	57
Meath	208	208	—	205	3
Monaghan	603	593	10	553	50
Offaly	86	86	—	85	1
Roscommon	438	438	—	373	65
County Councils:
Sligo	253	253	—	228	25
Tipperary, N.R.	534	518	16	356	178
Tipperary, S.R.	827	817	10	532	295
Waterford	42	42	—	33	9
Westmeath	248	248	—	127	121
Wexford	817	817	—	669	148
Wicklow	—	—	—	—	—
County Boroughs:
Cork	396	396	—	376	20
Dublin	—	—	—	—	—
Limerick	461	455	6	452	9
Waterford	42	40	2	37	5

Mr. McMenamin

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state in respect of each constituency the number of persons, if any, being householders, occupiers of land or otherwise, found to have given false information within the terms of paragraph 34, First Schedule, Electoral Act, 1932 (No. 12) in connection with the compilation of the Register of Electors now in force, and the number of such cases in which there have been (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions.

Mr. O Ceallaigh

No cases of prosecutions under paragraph 34, First Schedule, Electoral Act, 1923, have been reported to my Department.