asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that the names of a number of persons which appeared on the draft Register of Electors for the constituency of Dublin North Central for 1968-69 (details supplied) did not appear on the final register; the reason for these omissions; and if he will have the matter investigated in order to ensure that it does not happen again.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Register of Electors.
60.
I have been informed by the registration authority that, in the normal process of revision which follows the publication of a draft register of electors, some names which were included in the draft register concerned were excluded from the final register on the basis of subsequent and more up-to-date particulars obtained by the registration authority.
Can the Minister explain why some people whose names have been on this register for years and others, who were doubtful and who went to the trouble of inspecting the draft register to find that their names were on it and who were accordingly satisfied they were included, found when they went to vote in the referendum that their names were not on the list, though they had been in residence continuously from the time their names first appeared on the draft register? Can the Minister tell us what precautions people can take to ensure their names will appear on the register when they are entitled to be there?
The information obtained by the registration authority indicated that these names should not have been on the register. I do not know the particular names.
I can definitely state that at least half a dozen nurses in the Mater Hospital have been in continuous residence there. At no time have they left or indicated to anyone that they wanted their names taken off the register——
If the Deputy will supply the detailed information, I will have it investigated.
I can assure the Minister that I will get him at least half a dozen names of people who had been continuously in residence there and whose names were on the draft register.
If the Deputy will give me the information I will have it investigated.
Is the Minister satisfied with the present system of compilation of the register? Does he agree it is very unsatisfactory——
Completely out of date.
——and that this instance cited by Deputy Belton has been duplicated all over the city?
There always appear to be considerable inaccuracies, inexplicable inaccuracies, in the register. Everything possible is being done to try to ensure that the register will be compiled more accurately in the future In many cases there is a certain amount of lack of co-operation on the part of the people themselves. Every effort is made at the appropriate time to bring to the notice of voters the steps they should take to ensure that their names are on the register. In addition, I mentioned in reply to a Question last week that the Dublin County Council have decided to set up a special franchise section to try to deal with this more efficiently in future.
Is the Minister aware that a local authority has the power to stop the franchise money from those whose electoral lists are wrong?
Can the Minister state what precaution can any elector take other than inspecting the draft register to see that his name is on it? Being satisfied that their names are on it, can he give any guarantee that their names will appear on the final register?
Those are the precautions. In the particular case Deputy Belton has referred to, and this is the case of people living in an institution, the registration authority depend on someone in authority in the institution to supply the information and information that was supplied indicated that some people whose names were on the draft register should not be on the final register. If Deputy Belton will give me particulars of the persons concerned who he says were wrongly removed from the register, I will look into it. That is all I can do.
In view of so many inaccuracies would the Minister not consider taking it out of the hands of the rate-collectors and handing it over to thte local Garda?
That is a separate question.
(Cavan): I take it that the Minister will agree that after a person's name appears on the draft register it should not be removed from the draft register unless the person has been notified and had an opportunity of coming to the revision court. Therefore, if these persons the Deputy says were not notified, their names were removed irregularly from it.
I certainly agree that, when an indication is received that some person's name is on the draft register and is not on the register, some notification should be sent. If Deputy Belton will give me the names, I will investigate it.
If the Minister examines the draft register and the register he will see there is little difference between the two. While a number of those people had no indication that their names would not appear on the final register, they went to the trouble of seeing if they were on the draft register so that they would have votes. The first others knew was when they went to vote and found their names were not on the register.
The registration authorities had got information which indicated that these people were no longer at this address. If Deputy Belton will give me the particulars I will have it examined.
The remaining Questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.