23 Jun 2015, 14:52
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions will meet tomorrow afternoon with officials from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on a Committee Report on ballot paper design and layout for the 2013 Seanad Referendum.
23 June 2015
Officials from the Franchise Section of the Department will brief the Committee. In the Report, the Committee recommended that a permanent electoral commission be established with a mandate to conduct research into how to better distribute information in advance of polling day, the impact of multi-referendums on the same day, the colour and layout of ballot papers, and the collating of spoiled votes
Chairman of the Committee Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD says: “Tomorrow’s meeting with Franchise Section Officials will be a valuable opportunity to engage with Department officials on progress they have made in improving the design and layout of the referendum ballot paper since our report was published in June 2014. Underpinning our recommendations is the need for a referendum question to be put in clear, plain language and that the ‘double negative’ question posed in the recent Seanad referendum be avoided.
“The Committee noted that, while the design and layout is determined by legislation, this alone will not address the issue of the confusion among voters in relation to the 2013 Seanad referendum. We also expressed concerned about the higher levels of spoiled votes in both October 2013 Referendums. That is why we called for a permanent electoral commission, with a mandate to conduct wide-ranging research, be put in place to assist in securing the integrity of the democratic process. We look forward to hearing a detailed update on how these recommendations are being taken on board by the Department responsible for running referendums.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 24 June at 4 pm in Committee Room 3, Leinster House 2000.
Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies:
Richard Boyd-Barrett, Independent
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Michael Healy-Rae, Independent
Seamus Kirk, Fianna Fáil
Michael P. Kitt, Fianna Fáil
Pádraig MacLochlainn (Chairman), Sinn Féin
Helen McEntee, Fine Gael
Michelle Mulherin, Fine Gael
Derek Nolan (Vice-Chair), Labour
Patrick O'Donovan, Fine Gael
Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Sinn Féin
Sean Kenny, Labour
John Halligan, Independent
Jack Wall, Labour
Senators:
Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, Sinn Féin
Jimmy Harte, Labour
Tony Mulcahy, Fine Gael
Susan O’Keeffe, Labour
Ned O'Sullivan, Fianna Fáil