Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2015
543. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has conducted any research on the accuracy of the National University of Ireland and University of Dublin Seanad Éireann electoral registers; and if he will report on any interaction his Department may have had with these institutions regarding their electoral registers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3760/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for the maintenance and publication of the relevant electoral registers is assigned in law to the universities which form the university constituencies for the election of members of Seanad Éireann. My Department has not carried out any research on the electoral registers of either university constituency. Section 8(1) of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937, ‘the Act’, requires the governing body of every university which is a university constituency to cause a register to be kept in accordance with the Act of the persons who are for the time being entitled to be registered as electors. Section 9(1) of the Act provides that there shall be a registration officer for each of the university constituencies who shall be appointed and paid for by the governing body of the university forming the constituency.
In progressing work on the General Scheme of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014, a technical working group was set up to examine and make observations on operational matters including in respect of the creation and maintenance of a register of electors. This group includes nominees from the National University of Ireland and the University of Dublin - Trinity College.
