asked the Minister for Local Government what are the penalties for the offence of personation at general elections; and what measures are taken to ensure that the law is enforced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Personation Penalties.
21.
The penalties for the offence of personation are set out in subsection (2) of section 6 of the Prevention of Electoral Abuses Act, 1923, as amended by section 90 of the Electoral Act, 1963.
While enforcement of the law in this regard is a matter for the Garda Síochána, the following provisions of the electoral law are designed to prevent and aid in the detection of personation: The appointment of personation agents to attend at polling stations; the power of returning officers and presiding officers to direct the arrest of a person where there are reasonable grounds for believing that the person has committed personation; the procedure for issue of ballot papers to electors under which a presiding officer may put certain questions and/or administer an oath to an elector to establish his entitlement to vote and the right of members of the Garda Síochána to be present in polling stations and to arrest, without warrant, any person whom, and such garda believes, has committed the offence of personation.
I hope that is a warning.
Let that be a warning to you now.
I hope it will be a warning to the Minister's people.