In connection with the amendment passed in the Seanad to this particular Bill, the Local Government Electors Registration Bill—I desire to point out to the Dáil that the amendment in my judgment is outside the scope of the Bill. The Bill is one relating to the preparation of the register, of Local Government Electors. It deals with the preparation of a register of people who are qualified to vote and with the setting up of machinery. The Bill does not touch the qualification to vote. It enacts in Section 3 that a certain Section of the Representation of the People Act shall not apply. That is merely a change of date but it still leaves six months residence essential for a vote. The date before which a person must have resided in a place is merely altered so that this amendment, which deals with the qualifications of voters, seems to me to be outside the scope of the Bill. As the matter is one that concerns the relations of the Dáil and the Seanad, I merely state my opinion and leave it to the Dáil to take any action that they think fit. The amendment will be considered in Committee.
DAIL RESUMES. - LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTORS REGISTRATION BILL, 1923.
Amendment from Seanad:—
To add at the end of Section 2 the following:—
"Provided always that nothing in this Section or in any existing enactment shall entitle a person to be registered as a Local Government elector for any year in which, the rates for which he or she is legally liable on the 31st of March immediately preceding the 15th of November are unpaid."