Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 June 2022
33. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to an issue in relation to a person (details supplied); if his Department has plans to address the problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31101/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe maintenance and management of the Register of Electors is a matter for each local registration authority. It is the duty of each authority to ensure, as far as possible, and with the cooperation of the public, the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Register.
The Electoral Reform Bill, which is currently going through the Houses of the Oireachtas, provides for the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission, the regulation of online political advertising and for the legislative underpinning for the modernisation of the electoral registration process. It also provides explicitly for a person to apply to have their information in respect of their citizenship updated where they become a citizen of a State other than Ireland.
As a result of Brexit, British citizens resident in Ireland remain eligible to register as Dáil electors but are no longer entitled to register as European electors. Where a person holds both British citizenship and citizenship of an EU Member State other than Ireland, they would be entitled to register for both types of electoral event. Changes to the administrative and IT processes around the electoral register are required to facilitate this and my Department is working with local authorities to manage this change as part of wider upgrades to support reforms to the process.
