Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
632. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to merge the voter registration websites checktheregister.ie and voter.ie; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14155/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Electoral Reform Act 2022, (www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2022/act/30/enacted/en/pdf) delivers the legislative underpinning for a range of significant electoral reforms set out in the “Programme for Government – Our Shared Future". As part of progressing the commitment to developing a national shared database, as provided for in the legislation, I signed SI 460 of 2023
(www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2023/si/460/made/en/pdf) prescribing Dublin City Council as the Designated Registration Authority for the purpose of establishing, managing and maintaining a new shared database to facilitate registration authorities in the efficient performance of their functions in relation to the electoral register. Dublin City Council is currently engaged in a procurement process to build on the existing Voter.ie system to deliver a modern, accessible and secure solution for all Local Authorities.
The new centralised system once established will be the sole system supporting electoral registration in Ireland, replacing the both the current www.voter.ie/ and Checktheregister.ie. Dublin City Council will continue to manage and maintain the system on behalf of the local authority sector. Migration of Local Authorities to the new system is expected to begin in mid-2025.
A governance structure, drawn from central and local government has been put in place to oversee the delivery of the new shared database and to ensure that the process delivers a fit for purpose, secure and value for money solution to maximise the benefits of the modernisation process.
