Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
1174 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to improve the accuracy of the electoral register and to put in place a system of identification of voters, for example, by way of the PPS number, to eliminate personation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22829/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe compilation and publication of the register is a matter for each registration authority in accordance with electoral law and involves the carrying out of house-to-house or other local inquiries, including in many cases delivering registration forms to households for completion. The draft register is published on 1 November each year and is made available for examination at post offices, public libraries, Garda stations, courthouses and local authority offices up to 25 November. The public are invited, through national and local advertising campaigns, to check the draft during the period to make sure that they are correctly registered and to bring errors or omissions in the draft to the attention of the registration authority. The final register is published on 1 February and comes into force for a year on 15 February.
There have been several changes in recent years which serve to improve the accuracy of the register. The Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001 includes provisions to allow persons who have moved residence to another constituency or to another electoral area in a constituency during the currency of a register, or who will reach 18 years on or before polling day, to apply for entry in the supplement to the register. It also provides that persons who are unable to vote in their constituency because of their employment by a returning officer in another constituency on polling day are eligible to apply for entry in the supplement to the postal voters list.
Regarding personation, there are extensive measures in place under existing electoral law. The returning officer or the presiding officer may of his or her own volition, or if so requested by a personation agent present in the polling station, request any person applying for a ballot paper to produce a specified identification document. If a person fails to produce such a document, or if the returning officer or the presiding officer is not satisfied that the person is the person to whom the document relates, he or she is not permitted to vote. Returning officers or presiding officers may also, or, if so requested by a personation agent, shall, put certain questions or administer an oath or affirmation to persons applying for a ballot paper. Electoral law also sets out a range of offences and penalties regarding personation, including a new offence provided for under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2004 for the unlawful possession of a polling information card.
In the final analysis, the preparation of an accurate register relies to a significant extent on the co-operation of the public in completing registration forms, examining the draft register and bringing any errors to notice. Similarly, the prevention of personation relies on the vigilance of polling staff and personation agents present in the polling station and the deterrent effect of committing an electoral offence.
I am concerned to ensure that the legislative and administrative arrangements in place regarding those issues are as flexible as possible while maintaining the security and integrity of the electoral process. I will continue to keep current practice, including the scope for further improvements, under review.
