Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
522. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the work that his Department has undertaken on reform of the electoral system for Seanad Éireann vocational panels from the period December 2020 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42168/22]
View answerThe Programme for Government – Our Shared Future - sets out a number of commitments on electoral reform. These commitments are the Government’s immediate goals in terms of electoral reform and have been prioritised by way of the Electoral Reform Act 2022.
The Electoral Reform Act 2022, which was enacted in July, provides for a significant body of reform including the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission - An Coimisiún Toghcháin, the modernisation of the electoral registration process, the regulation of online political advertising during electoral events, and amendments to electoral law which will assist in the holding of electoral events if Covid-19 restrictions are in place.
Furthermore, this Act also provides for amendments to the Electoral Act 1997 in respect of political donations and accounts; same-day island voting at electoral events; clarification for political parties on lottery licence applications in support of their fund-raising activities; and a regulatory framework to protect the integrity of elections and referendums against online disinformation, online misinformation and manipulative or inauthentic behaviour online.
While the Programme for Government - Our Shared Future does not include a commitment for Seanad reform, it is important to note that an Coimisiún Toghcháin will hold a research and advisory function and, with the establishment of an Coimisiún, we will now have an independent statutory body which can made recommendations and provide advice regarding electoral matters.
