I propose to take Questions Nos. 750, 786 and 787 together.
The Electoral Reform Bill 2022 was recently passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas. As I outlined during the debate on the Bill in the Dáil on 13 July , Parts 4 and 5 of the Bill were notified to the European Commission under Directive (EU) 2015/1535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical regulations and of rules on Information Society services, otherwise known as technical regulation information system (TRIS) notification process.
The process provides an opportunity for stakeholders and the European Commission to provide comments or observations on the relevant provisions in the Bill and is standard practice in such pieces of legislation. Under the notification procedure, there is a 90 day standstill period following notification to the Commission to allow for the consideration of any relevant observations/comments received from the European Commission and affected stakeholders.
Following the publication of a detailed opinion by the EU Commission on Part 4 of the Bill, the standstill period has been extended to 5 August 2022. The standstill period in relation to Part 5 of the Bill runs until 31 August.
My Department will continue to liaise with the European Commission and the relevant provisions in the Electoral Reform Bill will not be commenced before all comments, observations (including any detailed opinions from the Commission) have been fully considered.
