Electoral Reform

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2013

Tuesday, 2 July 2013

Ceisteanna (532)

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

532. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 199 of 15 May 2013 and No. 465 of 28 May 2013, the flexibility and restrictions that will be included for postal voters; if the measures will be contained in the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2013 that will amend the Electoral Act 1992 or the recently initiated Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013; if postal and supplementary voter lists extension date will include Dáil, European, presidential and local elections, as well as referenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32179/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Government legislation programme included the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2013 which was published on 27 June 2013 with the amended short title of Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Bill 2013. The Bill provides for the amendment of the Electoral Act 1992 to allow more time for the receipt of applications for inclusion in the supplement to the postal and specials voters’ lists on the electoral register in advance of presidential, European and local elections and referendums.

The changes proposed, which are set out in Part 4 of the Bill, will mean that applications for inclusion in the supplement to the postal and special voters lists that are made in advance of the twenty-first day (disregarding any excluded day) before polling day at a presidential, European, or local election, or a referendum will be considered by registration authorities for inclusion in the supplement to the postal and special voters lists for those elections or referendums. No change is proposed to existing provisions for general elections or Dáil bye-elections.

Question No. 533 answered with Question No. 507.