Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Jul 1992

Vol. 422 No. 5

Written Answers. - Register of Electors Application.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

131 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that persons born in Northern Ireland, over the age of 18, are obliged to indicate that they are British citizens upon completing the application form to be included on the Register of Electors since they comply with the explanation on the official form that British citizen means a person defined as such under the Act of the British Parliament entitled the British Nationality Act, 1981; he has any proposal to alter the format of the application form so as to enable those persons, born in Northern Ireland and anxious to truthfully state on their application that they are Irish citizens for the purposes of elections, including Referenda and Presidential Elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Smith)

A citizen of Ireland, irrespective of place of birth, who has reached voting age and is ordinarily resident in the State, is entitled to be registered as an elector and to vote at presidential, Dáil, European and local elections and referenda. A person who holds the citizenship of any other country, in addition to Irish citizenship, is regarded for this purpose as a citizen of Ireland.

For the purpose of compiling the register of electors, the registration authority is required to carry out a house-to-house or other sufficient inquiry. In some cases, householders are invited to complete a registration form to assist in compiling the register. I am not aware that the use of the form gives rise to any difficulty in the case of persons born in Northern Ireland.

The Electoral (No. 2) Bill, 1991, which has been passed by Seanad Éireann, proposes certain procedural changes in relation to the registration of electors. On enactment of the Bill, there will be a review of the administrative practices and forms employed in regard to the preparation of the register.