Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 June 2021
140. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to the fact that online voter registration through voter.ie is only available to residents in Dublin; if he plans to allow residents in other parts of the country avail of this service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33946/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government - Our Shared Future commits to the modernisation of the electoral registration process. This includes the introduction of rolling registration; the simplification of forms and processes; the use of PPSNs in the registration process; as well as the gradual roll-out of an online option for registration. Together, these reforms will simplify and streamline the process of registration, making it easier for people to register to vote and update their details.
Voter.ie, an initiative of the Dublin local authorities, is an on-line platform being piloted in the four Dublin local authority areas. The platform offers online registration as well as a shared database within which each local authority continues to manage its register. The system is currently being considered for suitability as a national system and my Department has established a governance structure, bringing together central and local government experts, to consider the further development of Voter.ie in this regard.
The Government has also approved the drafting of an Electoral Reform Bill to underpin the electoral registration reforms, among other things. The general scheme of the bill is currently the subject of pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage and is available on my Department’s website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/34cf6-general-scheme-of-the-electoral-reform-bill-2020/.
