Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 September 2015
199. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to conduct a publicity campaign to encourage new citizens who are currently registered as British, other European Union or non-European Union on the electoral register, to change their citizenship status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32519/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn law, the preparation of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local authority as a registration authority. It is their duty to ensure, as far as possible and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register. The draft register is published on 1 November each year and is generally available for examination at post offices, Garda stations and local authority offices and on-line at www.checktheregister.ie up to 25 November. The public are invited through a national poster campaign and through national and local advertising to check the draft during this period to make sure that they are correctly registered and to bring errors or omissions in the draft to the attention of the local authority.
A person who becomes an Irish citizen is entitled under the Electoral Act 1992 to be registered as a Dáil, Presidential or European elector in a constituency if he or she has reached the age of 18 and was on the qualifying date – 1 September in the year prior to the register coming into force – an Irish citizen ordinarily resident in that constituency. In this regard, it might also be noted that the Government’s Legislation Programme Autumn Session 2015, published on 22 September 2015, provides in Section A – Bills expected to be published in the current Dáil session – for the publication of an Electoral Amendment Bill providing for amendment of the electoral Acts, including a provision that persons who become Irish citizens after the qualifying date for the register of electors may apply for entry in the supplement to the register of electors.
