asked the Minister for Justice if he will express his Government's concern at the reported increase in the incidents of personation during the recent general election; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Personation Incidents.
964.
I am informed by the Garda authorities that 65 cases of personation were reported to the Garda in respect of the 1982 general election. Prosecutions have already been taken in some of these cases and others are under investigation. There were 51 reported cases in respect of the 1981 general election, resulting in 15 prosecutions and 14 convictions, and 20 reported cases in respect of the 1977 general election, resulting in 13 prosecutions and 12 convictions. I should make it clear that the Minister for Justice has no function in relation to the taking of prosecutions.
Quite clearly any increase in breaches of the law is a matter of concern to me and to the Government. The question of what can be done about this type of offence is another matter. The Garda authorities say that personation is difficult to detect especially in urban areas where personation agents and other officials, including gardaí, cannot identify all the voters on the list of electors. They are further of the opinion that more use of personation agents by candidates would assist in the elimination of this offence. The recently enacted prevention of Electoral Abuses Act has clarified the provisions of the electoral law in relation to the offence of personation.