Number 38/2001: PART 2 Amendment of Principal Act

38 2001

ELECTORAL (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2001

PART 2

Amendment of Principal Act

Amendment of section 6 of Principal Act.

3. —Section 6 of the Principal Act is amended—

(a) by the insertion after the definition of “Dáil constituency” of the following definition:

“‘edited register’ has the meaning assigned to it by section 13A;”,

(b) by the insertion after the definition of “medical practitioner” of the following definitions:

“‘national edited register’ has the meaning assigned to it by section 13B;

‘national register’ has the meaning assigned to it by section 13B;”,

and

(c) by the insertion in the definition of “the register” after “special voters list” of “and the supplements to the postal voters list and to the special voters list”.

Amendment of section 13 of Principal Act.

4. —Section 13 of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following sections after section 13—

“Edited register of electors.

13A.—(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Part and the Second Schedule, a registration authority shall prepare and publish a version of the register of electors which shall be known and is in this Act referred to as the ‘edited register’ in accordance with Part 1A of the Second Schedule.

(2) An edited register published by the registration authority under subsection (1) shall be deemed, for the purposes of section 20, to be part of the register of electors.

(3) A person who uses information in the register prepared under section 13, including a draft register, the supplement to the register prepared under section 15 or in an electors list published under section 16, being information which is excluded from the edited register or edited electors list, for a purpose, other than electoral or other statutory purpose, shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) A registration authority shall not be obliged to comply with subsection (1) until the day which is 3 years after the commencement of section 4 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001, but if it complies with that subsection before that day, subsection (3) and section 133 (as amended by section 32 of the said Act) shall apply accordingly.

National register of electors.

13B.—(1) The Minister may, by order, authorise, subject to the consent of the authority or body, a registration authority or other body established by or under an enactment to compile—

(a) a register comprising the information contained in each of the register of electors prepared by the various registration authorities, including supplements to those registers prepared under section 15 (which shall be known and is in this Act referred to as the ‘national register of electors’); or

(b) a register comprising such of the information contained in each of the said register of electors, including supplements to those registers as aforesaid, as is specified in the order (which shall be known and is in this Act referred to as the ‘national edited register of electors’).

(2) Registration authorities may furnish a copy of the relevant registers free of charge to the authority or body authorised pursuant to subsection (1) for the purposes of its functions thereunder.

(3) An order under this section may provide that the furnishing of registers by registration authorities to the authority or body authorised pursuant to subsection (1) shall be subject to conditions specified in the order, including a condition providing that the cost of preparing, maintaining and publishing the register referred to in subsection (1) shall be met by the registration authorities or otherwise. Subsection (3) of section 13A and section 133 (as amended) shall apply to the use of information in a national register of electors in the same manner as they apply to an individual register complied by a registration authority.

(4) The Minister may, by order, amend or revoke an order under this section (including an order under this subsection).

(5) Every order made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the order is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the order is laid before it, the order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.

Preparation and maintenance of register of electors.

13C.—(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Part, the Second Schedule, and Parts VII and VIII of the Electoral Act, 1997 , the Minister may, by order, authorise a body, other than a registration authority, to prepare and maintain any of the following:

(i) a register of electors including the postal voter lists and special voter lists, a supplement to the register including supplements to the postal voter lists and special voter lists, an edited register and an edited supplement for one or more registration areas;

(ii) a register of the kind referred to in subsection (1)(a) of section 13B and a register of the kind referred to in subsection (1)(b) of that section.

(2) A body authorised pursuant to subsection (1) shall be deemed to be a registration authority for the purpose of this Part, the Second Schedule and Parts VII and VIII of the Electoral Act, 1997 .

(3) An order under subsection (1) may provide that the cost of preparing and publishing the registers referred to in that subsection shall be met by the registration authorities to whose registration areas those registers relate.

(4) The Minister may, by order, revoke or amend an order under this section (including an order under this subsection).

(5) Where an order under this section (including an order under subsection (4)) is proposed to be made, a draft thereof shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas and the order shall not be made until a resolution approving of the draft has been passed by each such House.”.

Amendment of section 14A of Principal Act.

5. —Section 14A of the Principal Act (inserted by the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1996 ) is amended by the insertion of the following subsections after subsection (2)—

“(3) Part III (other than Rule 19(c)) of the Second Schedule shall apply to an application for entry in the postal voters list pursuant to section 14(a) as if—

(a) references in that Part to ‘special voters list’ were references to ‘postal voters list’,

(b) references to ‘section 17’ and ‘section 17(2)’ were references to ‘section 14(a)’,

(d) in Rule 23, paragraphs (1)(c) and (2)(c) were deleted.

(4) In case an application for entry in the postal voters list pursuant to section 14(a), (c) or (d) is refused, Rules 16 and 17 of Part II of the Second Schedule shall apply to such a refusal as if the reference in Rule 16 to the ‘supplement to the register’ were a reference to ‘postal voters list under section 14(a), (c) or (d)’.”.

Amendment of section 15 of Principal Act.

6. —Section 15 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the insertion in subsection (1) after “publish.” of “The registration authority is also empowered to prepare and publish a version of the supplement, which shall be known and is in this Act referred to as an ‘edited supplement’, by omitting from the supplement the names and addresses of registered electors or electors on whose behalf requests have been made that their details not be used for a purpose other than an electoral or other statutory purpose. Such a supplement shall be deemed to form part of the edited register prepared and published under section 13A.”;

(b) in subsection (1A)(a) (inserted by section 76 of the Act of 1997)—

(i) the insertion of “or” after “electors,” in subparagraph (ii);

(ii) the insertion of the following subparagraph after subparagraph (ii):

“(iii) is registered as an elector in a constituency or in a local electoral area and takes up ordinary residence in another constituency or in another local electoral area on a date following the coming into force of the register of electors then in force provided the person authorises in writing, in a form directed by the Minister, the registration authority in whose register of electors he is registered as an elector to delete his name from that register of electors. The authorisation shall include such information as is necessary to enable the authority for the area of original registration to identify the relevant entry in that register,”;

(iii) the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (c) of subsection (1A) (inserted by section 76 of the Act of 1997):

“(c) A person referred to in paragraph (a)(ii) shall be eligible for entry in the supplement to the register on or after the day on which that person reaches eighteen years of age, including such a day that falls within the period beginning on the last day on which applications for entry in the supplement can be received and ending on polling day in the case of a Dáil, Presidential, European, local or Údarás na Gaeltachta election, or a referendum.”;

(iv) the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (c):

“(d) The registration authority on receipt of an authorisation referred to in subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) and being satisfied that the person is no longer ordinarily resident in respect of the address for which he is registered as an elector shall—

(i) in the case the new address is in another registration area, delete his name from the register of electors for the authority's registration area and forward forthwith the relevant form to the registration authority for the address indicated on the form at which he is ordinarily resident,

(ii) in the case the new address is in another local electoral area within the registration area of the registration authority, delete the elector's name from the register of electors and enter his details in the supplement of the register prepared under this section.”;

(d) the insertion in subsection (5) of “(including an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta)” after “election” where that word secondly occurs.

Amendment of section 15A of Principal Act.

7. —Section 15A of the Principal Act (inserted by section 76 of the Act of 1997) is amended by—

(a) in subsection (1), the substitution of “any of paragraphs (a) to (d)” for “paragraph (a) or (d)”;

(b) the insertion of the following paragraphs after paragraph (b) of subsection (2):

“(c) The provisions of section 12 shall apply to an application for entry in the supplement to the postal voters list under this section from an elector referred to in section 14(c) as if the reference in section 12 to qualifying date were a reference to the latest date for receipt of an application under subsection (4) and as if in subsection (3) of that section ‘, not later than the date specified for that purpose in the Second Schedule,’ were deleted.

(d) The provisions of Part III (other than Rules 19(c), 21 and 23 (3)) of the Second Schedule shall apply to an application for entry in the supplement to the postal voters list under this section from an elector referred to in section 14(a) or 14(b) as if—

(i) references in that Part to ‘special voters list’ were references to ‘supplement to the postal voters list’;

(ii) the reference in that Part to ‘section 17’ were a reference to this section and references in that Part to ‘section 17(2)’ were references to ‘section 14(a) or 14(b)’;

(iii) in Rule 19(d), ‘and, where appropriate, the certificate referred to in paragraph (c)’ were deleted and ‘to the registration authority’ were substituted for ‘so as to be received by the registration authority not later than the date specified in Rule 1’;

(iv) in Rule 22, ‘at such times and places as are specified in a notice published pursuant to Rule 21,’ were deleted;

(v) in Rule 23, subparagraph (c) of paragraphs (1) and (2) were deleted.”;

“(4) An application by an elector to have his name entered in the supplement to the postal voters list received by the registration authority on or after the third day after the dissolution of the Dáil at a general election or on or after the third day after the date of the making of the order appointing polling day at a Dáil bye-election, or a Presidential, European or local election, or an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta or a referendum shall not have effect in relation to that election or referendum.”;

and

(d) in subsection (5), the insertion of “or an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta” after “local election”.

Amendment of section 15B of Principal Act.

8. —Section 15B of the Principal Act (inserted by section 76 of the Act of 1997) is amended by—

(a) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (4):

“(4) An application by an elector to have his name entered in the supplement to the special voters list received by the registration authority on or after the third day after the date of the dissolution of the Dáil at a general election or on or after the third day after the date of the order appointing polling day at a Dáil bye-election or a Presidential, European or local election or an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta or a referendum shall not have effect in relation to that election or referendum.”;

and

(b) in subsection (5), the insertion of “or an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta” after “local election”.

Sections 15A and 15B of Principal Act: supplemental provision.

9. —The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 15B (inserted by section 76 of the Act of 1997):

“Supplements to the postal and special voters lists where more than one poll is held on same day.

15C.—Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (4) of section 15A or subsection (4) of section 15B, where an application by an elector to have his name entered in the supplement to the postal voters list or the supplement to the special voters list is received after the relevant date referred to in subsection (4) of section 15A or subsection (4) of section 15B in relation to an election or a referendum but before the relevant date referred to in either of the said subsections in relation to another election or referendum, the poll at which is to be held on the same day, the relevant date for the second or subsequent election or referendum shall apply to an application received under subsection (4) of section 15A or subsection (4) of section 15B in connection with the elections or referendums.”.

Amendment of section 16 of Principal Act.

10. —The Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following section for section 16:

“Electors lists to replace draft register, register and supplement in the case of specified registration authorities.

16.—(1) The Minister may, by direction, specify a registration authority or registration authorities which shall publish electors lists in place of the draft register referred to in Rule 5(6) of Part 1, the register of electors referred to in Rule 13 of Part I and the supplement referred to in Rule 15 of Part II of the Second Schedule. In addition to the foregoing, the direction may specify that versions—

(a) of such lists that are of a like kind to the edited register, and

(b) of such lists that are of a like kind to the edited supplement,

(which lists shall be known and are in this Act referred to as ‘edited electors lists’) shall be published in place of such an edited register and edited supplement by the registration authority concerned.

(2) The electors lists shall consist of—

(a) the register of electors in force at the time of publication of the electors lists (in this Act referred to as ‘List A’),

(b) a list (in this Act referred to as ‘List B’) of persons entitled on the qualifying date or otherwise to be registered as electors in respect of particular premises and whose names are not included in List A in respect of such premises, including persons entitled under section 15 to be entered on the supplement to the register, and

(c) a list (in this Act referred to as ‘List C’) of persons whose names appear on List A, and who, on the qualifying date or otherwise were not entitled to be registered as electors in respect of the premises stated in List A.

(3) Part II of the Second Schedule shall apply to applications to be entered in List B following the publication of the register.

(4) The Minister may give a direction under this section as often as he thinks fit.

(5) (a) The Minister may amend or revoke a direction under this section.

(b) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (a), a direction under this subsection may provide for the discontinuance of the publication of electors lists by a registration authority the subject of a direction under subsection (1), and for the publication by that registration authority of a draft register, register and supplement to the register.

(6) Where a direction under subsection (1) is in force in respect of a registration authority, a reference in this Act or in any other enactment to the draft register, register or supplement shall be construed as a reference to electors lists in so far as it applies to the said registration authority.

(7) A direction under subsection (4) may provide for the publication of—

(i) Lists B and C on or before the specified date in each year referred to in Rule 5 of Part I of the Second Schedule.

(ii) List A, incorporating entries in Lists B and C, on the specified date in each year referred to in Rule 13(2) of Part I of the Second Schedule, or as soon as may be after the fourteenth day (disregarding any excluded day) before polling day at an election or a referendum or at such other time that the registration authority thinks fit. Where a registration authority decides to publish a List A other than at the specified date referred to in Rule 13(2) of Part I of the Second Schedule or before an election or referendum, the authority shall publish a notice of its intention to publish a List A in such manner as may be specified in the direction.

(8) The provisions of the Second Schedule shall apply to Lists referred to in this section as if references to ‘draft register’, ‘register’ and ‘supplement’ were references to ‘Electors Lists’.

(9) A copy of a direction made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made.”.

Amendment of section 25 of Principal Act.

11. —Section 25 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following sections for section 25:

“25.—(1) (a) There shall be an office the holder of which shall be known as the ‘Registrar of Political Parties’ and is in this Act referred to as the ‘Registrar’. The Registrar shall, subject to the provisions of this Part, prepare and maintain a Register of Political Parties (in this Part referred to as ‘the Register’).

(b) The person who for the time being holds the office of Clerk of the Dáil shall be the Registrar. If and so long as the office of Clerk of the Dáil is vacant or the holder of that office is unable through illness, absence or other cause to fulfil-the duties of the office, the Clerk-Assistant of the Dáil shall act as the Registrar for the purposes of this Part and references in this Part to the Registrar shall be construed accordingly.

(c) If and so long as the office of Clerk of the Dáil and the office of Clerk-Assistant of the Dáil are vacant or the holders of those offices are unable through illness, absence or other cause to fulfil their duties, the Chairman of the Dáil may appoint a member of the Joint Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas to act as the Registrar for the purposes of this Part and references in this Part to the Registrar shall be construed accordingly.

(2) (a) A political party may apply to the Registrar to be registered in the Register as a party organised in the State or in a part thereof specified in the application to contest all or any of the following elections—

(i) a Dáil election,

(ii) a European election,

(iii) a local election,

(iv) an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta.

(b) An application for registration under this subsection shall be in writing in such form as shall be specified by the Registrar and shall contain such particulars as shall be specified in the form.

(3) A political party may apply for the registration in the Register of one emblem to be used by candidates of the party on ballot papers. An application under this subsection shall be in writing in such form as shall be specified by the Registrar and in accordance with directions specified on the form.

(4) Subject to subsection (5), the Registrar shall register a political party which applies for registration provided the application complies with the requirements of this Part and that—

(a) the party is organised in the State or in a part thereof specified in the application as a party organised to contest all or any of the elections referred to in subsection (2)(a), and

(b) (i) (I) the party has not less than 300 recorded members or, in the case of a party applying for registration as a party organised to contest elections in part of the State or local elections or Údarás na Gaeltachta elections only, 100 recorded members, each of whom (in any of the foregoing cases) has reached the age of 18 years, and

(II) at least fifty per cent of the recorded members are registered in the register of electors,

(ii) the party has at least one member who, at the time the application for registration is made, is a member of the Dáil or is a representative in the European Parliament (whether by reason of his having been elected as such a representative in the State or having been nominated as a replacement candidate under the European Parliament Elections Act, 1997 ) and who certifies in writing to the Registrar that he is a member of the party, or

(iii) in the case of a party which applies for registration as a party organised to contest a local election only, it has at least 3 members who are, at the time the application for registration is made, members of a local authority and each of whom certifies in writing to the Registrar that he is a member of the party, or

(iv) in the case of a party which applies for registration as a party organised to contest an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta only, it has at least one member who is, at the time the application for registration is made, a member of the Údarás na Gaeltachta and who certifies in writing to the Registrar that he is a member of the party,

and

(c) the organisation and direction of the party are governed by a constitution, a memorandum of association or other such document or other written rules which have been adopted by the party and which provide for—

(i) an annual or other periodic meeting or conference of the party; and

(ii) the conduct of the business of the party by an executive committee or similar body elected by the party.

(5) A political party shall not be registered in the Register if its name—

(a) is identical with the name or an abbreviation or acronym of the name of any party for the time being registered in the Register or, so nearly resembles such name, abbreviation or acronym as to be likely to mislead, confuse or deceive, or

(b) comprises more than 6 words, or

(c) in the case of a party operating in relation to a particular part of the State, does not include such reference to that part as to distinguish the party as so operating.

(6) The Registrar shall not grant a request for registration in relation to an emblem if the emblem—

(a) would be likely to be confused by voters with an emblem which is already registered for another party,

(b) is obscene or offensive,

(d) includes a word or expression which, if it were, or were part of, the party concerned's name, would, by virtue of subsection (5), prevent the party from being registered in the Register.

(7) The following particulars shall be entered in the Register in respect of a political party registered therein—

(a) the name of the party, including any abbreviation or acronym,

(b) the emblem, if an application for its registration under subsection (3) has been granted,

(d) the name or names of the officer or officers of the party authorised to sign certificates authenticating the candidatures of candidates of the party at elections,

(e) the type or types of election for which the party is registered as being organised to contest,

(f) where the party is registered as organised to contest elections in a specified part of the State, a reference to that fact and to the part of the State concerned, and

(g) the name of any political group in accordance with subsection (8).

(8) Where a party which is registered in the Register as a party organised to contest a European election, or which applies for such registration in the Register, informs the Registrar that a member of the party, being a representative in the European Parliament (whether by reason of his having been elected as such a representative in the State or having been nominated as a replacement candidate under the European Parliament Elections Act, 1997 ), is a member of a political group formed in accordance with the rules of procedure of the European Parliament, the Registrar shall, if that member certifies in writing to the Registrar that he is a member of that party and that group, note on the Register, in relation to the party, the name of that group.

(9) As soon as the Registrar has considered an application for registration under subsection (2) or (3), he shall notify the applicant of the decision on the application (stating reasons in the case of refusal and the provisions of this Act enabling an appeal against the decision) and shall cause notice thereof to be published in Iris Oifigiúil.

Amendments to Register.

25A.—(1) If there is any change in the particulars entered in the Register with respect to the name or names of the officer or officers of a political party referred to in paragraph (d) of section 25(7) or in the address of the party's headquarters, the party shall, as soon as may be after the change occurs, inform the Registrar of the change and, where appropriate, the Registrar shall amend the particulars entered in the Register in relation to the party accordingly.

(2) A political party registered in the Register may apply in writing to the Registrar in such form as shall be specified by the Registrar to have any of the particulars, including party emblem (other than those referred to in subsection (1)) entered in the Register in relation to the party amended and the Registrar shall consider each such application and may, subject to the provisions of section 25 and this section, amend the Register accordingly.

(3) As soon as the Registrar has considered an application for amendment of the Register under subsection (2), he shall notify the applicant of the decision on the application (stating reasons in the case of refusal and the provisions of this Act enabling an appeal against the decision) and shall cause notice thereof to be published in Iris Oifigiúil.

(4) The Registrar shall, with respect to each party registered in the Register, inquire in writing at least once in each year from an officer referred to in section 25(7) whether the party desires to remain registered and, unless the Registrar receives an affirmative reply to such an inquiry within 21 days from the date of the making of such inquiry, subsection (5) shall apply in relation to the party.

(5) Where a political party registered in the Register fails to comply with subsection (1), or information provided by it, in purported compliance with that subsection, is not such as to enable the Registrar to comply with section 25(7) or otherwise fails to comply with the requirements of this Part, the Registrar shall, following such inquiry as he thinks fit, publish in Iris Oifigiúil notice of his intention to cancel the registration of the party. The Registrar shall notify the party concerned of his intention and such a notification shall include a reference to the provisions of this Act enabling an appeal against the decision.

(6) Any doubt, dispute or question arising in connection with the particulars required to be entered in the Register pursuant to section 25(7) shall be decided by the appeal board and shall be deemed to be an appeal under section 25B. The Registrar or the political party concerned may submit the doubt, dispute or question to the appeal board in accordance with section 25B(3).

Appeal against decision of Registrar.

25B.—(1) A decision by the Registrar in relation to—

(a) an application for registration under subsection (2) or (3) of section 25, or

(b) an application under subsection (2) of section 25A for amendment of the particulars entered in relation to a party in the Register, or

may be questioned by an appeal to the appeal board under this section and, pending the determination by the appeal board of such an appeal, the decision of the Registrar shall not have effect.

(2) Where the Registrar has decided to refuse an application for registration including the registration of an emblem or an application for an amendment of the Register and has stated the reasons for so doing in accordance with subsection (9) of section 25 or subsection (3) of section 25A, such statement shall be regarded as a sufficient statement of the reasons for the decision.

(3) (a) Not later than 12 noon on the twenty-first day after the publication in Iris Oifigiúil of a decision by the Registrar on an application for registration under subsection (2) or (3) of section 25 or for the amendment of the particulars in relation to a party entered in the Register under section 25A(2) or in regard to the cancellation of the registration of a party under section 25A(5), an appeal may be made to the appeal board against the decision—

(i) in the case of a decision to refuse either an application for registration including the registration of an emblem or an application for an amendment of the Register, by the party by which the application was made,

(ii) in the case of a decision to allow either an application for registration or an application for amendment of the Register, by any political party registered in the Register at the time of the giving by the Registrar of such notice,

(iii) in the case of a decision to cancel a registration, by the party whose registration it is proposed to cancel.

(b) Where no appeal is made under this subsection within the period specified in paragraph (a), the decision shall at the expiration of the said period become final and the Registrar shall notify the applicant or, as the case may be, the party whose registration he has decided to cancel.

(c) An appeal under this subsection shall be in writing, shall state the grounds on which the appeal is made, shall be addressed to the Clerk of the Seanad and shall be delivered or sent by post so as to reach the Clerk not later than the time specified in paragraph (a), together with the deposit referred to in paragraph (d), and any such appeal which is received by the Clerk of the Seanad after that time shall not be entertained or considered by the appeal board.

(d) An appeal under this section shall not be considered by the appeal board unless at the time the appeal is made a deposit of £500 is lodged with the Clerk of the Seanad by, or on behalf of, the appellant, which sum shall on the determination of the appeal be returned to the person by whom it was made unless the appeal board considers the appeal to be frivolous or vexatious and directs that the deposit be forfeited.

(e) A deposit forfeited under this section shall be disposed of by the Clerk of the Seanad in such manner as may be directed by the Minister for Finance.

(f) The Clerk of the Seanad, immediately on receipt of an appeal under this subsection, shall—

(i) notify the Registrar of such receipt;

(ii) furnish the Registrar with a copy of the appeal;

(iii) publish a notice in Iris Oifigiúil that an appeal has been lodged; and

(iv) make the documentation in relation to the appeal available for inspection at all convenient times.

(g) Any services, including the services of staff, that may reasonably be required by the appeal board for the purposes of its functions under this section shall be made available to it by the Chairman of the Dáil from the Joint Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

(4) (a) For the purposes of considering appeals under subsection (3) there shall be an appeal board which shall consist of a Judge of the High Court (to be nominated by the President of the High Court), who shall be chairman, the Chairman of the Dáil (or where the Chairman of the Dáil is unable, through illness, absence or other cause to fulfil the duties of the office or the office of Chairman is vacant, the Deputy Chairman of the Dáil) and the Chairman of the Seanad (or where the Chairman of the Seanad is unable, through illness, absence or other cause to fulfil the duties of the office or the office of Chairman is vacant, the Deputy Chairman of the Seanad).

(b) The appeal board, in determining an appeal under this section, shall consider—

(i) the grounds for the appeal stated pursuant to subsection (3)(c), and

(ii) such information (if any) as was made available to the Registrar in connection with the application for registration (including registration of a political party emblem), the application for amendment of the Register or the proposed cancellation of the registration, as the case may be.

(c) The Registrar shall give to the appeal board such information in relation to every appeal considered pursuant to this section as the appeal board may reasonably require of him.

(d) If information additional to that referred to in paragraph (b)(ii) is furnished to the appeal board, the appeal application, if the board considers it appropriate and directs accordingly, shall be returned to the Registrar for his consideration and treated, if appropriate, as a new application for registration or an amendment of the Register by the Registrar.

(e) The decision of the appeal board shall be final and shall be complied with.

General provisions relating to Registration.

25C.—(1) A decision by the Registrar on an application for registration, including the registration of an emblem, or for amendment of the particulars entered in the Register in respect of a party or in relation to the cancellation of the registration of a party under section 25A(5) or a decision by the appeal board on an appeal under section 25B shall not have effect in relation to the relevant election where the decision of the Registrar or the board is made or the period for making an appeal under section 25B(3) against the decision of the Registrar expires—

(a) in the case of a Dáil election relative to a party registered or seeking registration (including registration of a political party emblem) as a party organised to contest a Dáil election, after the date of the issue of the writ or writs,

(b) in the case of a European election relative to a party registered or seeking registration (including registration of a political party emblem) as a party organised to contest a European election, after the date of the making of the order of the Minister under section 10 of the European Parliament Elections Act, 1997 ,

(c) in the case of a local election relative to a party registered or seeking registration (including registration of a political party emblem) as a party organised to contest a local election, after the date of the making of the order of the Minister under section 21 of the Local Government Act, 1994 ,

(d) in the case of an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta relative to a party registered or seeking registration (including registration of a political party emblem) as a party organised to contest an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta, after the date of the making of the order of the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands under article 6 of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Elections Regulations, 1979 (S.I. No. 355 of 1979).

(2) The Registrar shall maintain the Register at his office, permit any person to inspect the Register at such time and under such conditions as may be specified by the Registrar and shall furnish, on request, to any person a copy of the Register.

(3) Where an order of a court or a request by any person is made for the production by the Registrar of the Register or a copy thereof, the production of a copy of the Register accompanied by a certificate of the Registrar that such copy is a copy of the Register shall in any civil or criminal proceedings be prima facie evidence of the fact so certified and it shall not be necessary, unless the court on receipt of the certificate and copy of the Register so orders, for the Registrar to attend in person to attest to any matter relating to the Register or the certificate.

(4) The Registrar may require any person to give any information in the possession of such person which the Registrar may require for the purpose of his duties under this Part.

(5) (a) Without prejudice to subsection (4), the Registrar may require from any political party which applies for registration (including registration of an emblem) in, or for amendment of, the Register all such information as the Registrar reasonably requires for the determination of the application, and the Registrar may refuse the application of any party which fails or refuses to give any information so required of it under this section.

(b) For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the authority of the Registrar to request information, it shall be the duty of every political party which applies for registration (including the registration of an emblem) in, or for amendment of, the Register to provide to the Registrar such information as may be necessary to enable the Registrar to consider the application.

(i) information furnished for the purposes of this Part shall be accompanied by a statutory declaration made by the person by whom the information is furnished (or by such other person as the Registrar considers appropriate in the circumstances) that, to the best of the person's knowledge and belief, the information is correct in every material respect and that the person has taken all reasonable steps in order to be satisfied as to the accuracy of the information;

(ii) any statement in relation to the number of recorded members of a party shall be certified by a public auditor.

(d) In paragraph (c) ‘public auditor’ means a public auditor, for the purposes of the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, 1893 to 1978, and the Friendly Societies Acts, 1896 to 1977.

(6) (a) Where a party is registered in the Register as a party organised to contest a particular type or types of election, the registration shall have effect only in relation to elections of the type or types concerned.

(b) Where a party is registered in the Register as a party organised to contest an election or elections in a specified part of the State, the registration shall have effect only in relation to that part of the State.

(7) Not later than the third day (disregarding any excluded day) after the day of the issuing under section 39 of the writ or writs at a Dáil election, the Registrar shall send to the returning officer or each returning officer, as the case may be, a copy of the Register then in force, including a copy of the emblems of political parties registered in it.

(8) The Minister for Finance shall, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, pay to the Registrar the amount of his reasonable charges, not exceeding such amount as may be sanctioned by that Minister, in respect of the performance by the Registrar of his duties under this Part.

(9) The Register of Political Parties in force at the commencement of section 11 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001, shall be deemed to be the Register prepared and maintained under this Part, including for the purpose of applications in writing made to the Registrar for registration in respect of Údarás na Gaeltachta elections.”.

Amendment of section 28 of Principal Act.

12. —Section 28 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) (a) A scheme under this section made by the local authority shall come into operation on the day specified in the scheme.

(b) A copy of a scheme made pursuant to this section shall, as soon as may be after it is made, be furnished to the Minister by the local authority.”,

and

(b) the deletion of subsection (3).

Amendment of section 29 of Principal Act.

13. —Section 29 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the deletion in subsection (2) of “be subject to confirmation by the Minister (who may confirm the arrangement with or without modification) and shall”,

and

(b) the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (2):

“(2A) An arrangement made pursuant to subsection (1) shall be notified to the Minister by the appropriate officer.”.

Amendment of section 32 of Principal Act.

14. —Section 32 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (4):

“(4) On the request of a returning officer for an advance on account of his charges the Minister for Finance may, after consultation with the Minister (irrespective of whether the scale of charges referred to in subsection (1) has been prepared or not), if he thinks fit and on such terms as he thinks fit, make such an advance.”.

Amendment of section 41 of Principal Act.

15. —Section 41 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (b):

“(b) will not reach the age of 21 years on polling day or, if there is no polling day in relation to the constituency concerned by reason of the operation of section 58(b), the day which is polling day generally throughout the State in relation to the election concerned, or”.

Amendment of section 46 of Principal Act.

16. —Section 46 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) in subsection (4)—

(i) the substitution of “section 25(7)(d)” for “section 25(4)(c)”,

(ii) the substitution of the following sentence for the second sentence in that subsection:

“Where such a certificate is produced, the returning officer, provided he is satisfied that it is appropriate to do so in relation to the candidate, shall cause—

(a) a statement of the name of the relevant political party and a copy of the political party's emblem as registered in the Register of Political Parties to be specified in relation to the candidates on all the ballot papers, and

(b) a statement of the name of the relevant political party to be specified in relation to the candidate on notices.”,

and

(b) in subsection (7), the substitution of “section 25C(7)” for “section 25(14)”.

Amendment of section 48 of Principal Act.

17. —Section 48 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (e) of subsection (1):

“(e) is not elected but the greatest number of votes credited to him at any stage of the counting of votes at the election exceeds, in the case of a general election, one quarter of the quota, or, in the case of a bye-election, one quarter of what would have been the quota in that constituency were the full number of members of the Dáil for the existing constituency to be elected.”.

Amendment of section 49 of Principal Act.

18. —Section 49 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of “seventh” for “ninth”.

Amendment of section 62 of Principal Act.

19. —Section 62 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the substitution of “seventh” for “ninth” in subsection (2)(d), and

(b) the substitution of “subsection (7) of section 25C” for “subsection (14) of section 25” in subsection (2)(g).

Amendment of section 63 of Principal Act.

20. —Section 63 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the substitution of “seven” for “nine” in subsection (1)(b)(v)(I), and

(b) the substitution of “subsection (7) of section 25C” for “subsection (14) of section 25” in subsection (1)(b)(vi).

Amendment of section 88 of Principal Act.

21. —Section 88 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the insertion of “subject to any modifications which may be provided for in regulations under paragraph (cc) of subsection (2)” after “Fourth Schedule” in subsection (1),

(b) the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (c) of subsection (2):

“(cc) a ballot paper may include a photograph of each candidate and the emblem of the candidate's political party registered in the Register of Political Parties in accordance with the requirements prescribed in regulations which may be made by the Minister (and such regulations may provide for the modification of the form of the ballot paper for that purpose),”,

(c) the insertion of “and the modifications which may be provided for in regulations under paragraph (cc)” after “Fourth Schedule” in paragraph (f) of subsection (2),

and

(d) the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (2):

“(3) A notice containing a copy of the ballot paper in large print shall be displayed by the presiding officer in the polling station.”.

Amendment of section 92 of Principal Act.

22. —Section 92 of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of “and, where appropriate, other information concerning the poll, including the address of the polling station” after “section 111” in subsection (1).

Amendment of section 96 of Principal Act.

23. —Section 96(1) of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of—

(a) “eighteenth” for “seventeenth” in paragraph (a), and

(b) “7 a.m.” for “8 a.m.” in paragraph (b).

Amendment of section 98 of Principal Act.

24. —Section 98 of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion in paragraph (f) of “or who are unable to read or write to such an extent” after “physically incapacitated”.

Amendment of section 99 of Principal Act.

25. —Section 99 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the insertion of “(1)” before “Where”,

and

(b) the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1):

“(2) (a) Where a Dáil elector is employed by a returning officer for any purpose in connection with a Dáil election and is registered to vote in a constituency, other than one in which the employment occurs, the elector shall, on application being made by him in that behalf, be entitled to have his name entered in a supplement to the postal voters list which the registration authority is empowered to prepare and publish in accordance with section 15A. An application under this section shall be made on a form directed by the Minister, and the returning officer who is employing the person shall certify on the form that the person will be employed by him on polling day in connection with the election and will be unable to vote in person in the constituency at the polling station at which the Dáil elector would otherwise be entitled to vote.

(b) Where an application under paragraph (a) is granted, the registration authority shall note the register of electors by placing a mark on the register against the number and name of the elector to denote that the elector's name is on the postal voters list.

(c) Section 15A(2)(d) shall apply to an application for entry in a supplement to the postal voters list under paragraph (a) as if reference in that provision to paragraph (a) or (b) of section 14 were references to subsection (2).

(d) Subsection (4) of section 15A shall not apply to an application under this subsection.”.

Amendment of section 103 of Principal Act.

26. —Section 103 of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion in subsection (3) of “or that he is unable to read or write to such an extent” after “physically incapacitated”.

Amendment of section 111 of Principal Act.

27. —Section 111(2) of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the substitution of the following subparagraph for subparagraph (iii) (including the words in brackets) of paragraph (c):

“(iii) Have you reached the age of eighteen years?”,

and

(b) the substitution of “have reached the age of eighteen years” for “had attained the age of eighteen years on ...... (date of coming into force of the register)” in paragraph (d).

Amendment of section 114 of Principal Act.

28. —Section 114 of the Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1):

“(1A) For the purposes of subsection (1), the manner in which a ballot box, being a box containing not more than 50 ballot papers, shall be opened shall be such that, although the box is opened in the presence of the agents of the candidates, the preferences on the individual ballot papers cannot be read by those agents or other persons present at the count.”.

Amendment of section 121 of Principal Act.

29. —Section 121 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (8):

“(8) The returning officer shall not transfer the surplus of a candidate deemed to be elected whenever that surplus, together with any other surplus not transferred, is less than both the difference between the quota and the number of votes credited to the highest continuing candidate and the difference between the numbers of the votes credited to the two lowest continuing candidates and either—

(a) the number of votes credited to the lowest candidate is greater than one quarter of the quota or, in the case of a bye-election where there is more than one vacancy to be filled in a constituency, one quarter of what would have been the quota were the full number of members of the Dáil for the existing constituency to be elected, or

(b) the sum of the number of votes credited to the lowest candidate together with that surplus and any other surplus not transferred is not greater than one quarter of the quota or, in the case of a bye-election where there is more than one vacancy to be filled in a constituency, one quarter of what would have been the quota were the full number of members of the Dáil for the existing constituency to be elected.”,

and

(b) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (11):

“(11) Subject to subsections (8) and (9), where two or more candidates have each an equal surplus arising from different counts, a surplus which arises at the end of any count shall be transferred before a surplus which arises at a subsequent count.”.

Amendment of section 122 of Principal Act.

30. —Section 122(2) of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the insertion after “one quarter of the quota” in paragraph (a) of “or, in the case of a bye-election, one quarter of what would have been the quota in that constituency were the full number of members of the Dáil for the existing constituency to be elected”,

and

(b) the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (b):

“(b) where the number of votes credited to any one of such two or more lowest candidates does not exceed one quarter of the quota, or, in the case of a bye-election, one quarter of what would have been the quota in that constituency were the full number of members of the Dáil for the existing constituency to be elected, it is clear that the exclusion of the candidates separately in accordance with subsection (1) and the transfer of any untransferred surplus could not result in a number of votes exceeding one quarter of the quota, or, in the case of a bye-election, one quarter of what would have been the quota in that constituency were the full number of members of the Dáil for the existing constituency to be elected, being credited to any such candidate.”.

Amendment of section 124 of Principal Act.

31. —Section 124 of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the insertion after subsection (1) of the following subsection:

“(1A) When the number of continuing candidates exceeds by one the number of vacancies remaining unfilled and the total of the votes credited to the lowest continuing candidate together with the surplus or surpluses not transferred is less than the number of votes credited to the next highest continuing candidate, the continuing candidates, with the exception of the lowest such candidate, shall thereupon be deemed to be elected.”,

and

(b) the insertion in subsection (3) of “or in the case of a bye-election where there is more than one vacancy to be filled in a constituency, one quarter of what would have been the quota were the full number of members of the Dáil for the existing constituency to be elected” after “quota”.

Amendment of section 133 of Principal Act.

32. —Section 133(2) of the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the insertion of “or” in paragraph (c) after “special voters list,”,

(b) the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (c):

“(d) uses or causes to be used information in a copy of the register of electors, including a supplement to the register, or a copy of the draft register or electors lists for reasons other than electoral or other statutory purposes where an elector has indicated that he does not wish the information to be so used,”,

and

“(2A) Where an offence under subsection (2)(d) is committed by a body corporate and is proved to have been so committed with the consent, connivance or approval of or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of a person being a director, manager, secretary or other officer of the body corporate, or any other person who was acting or purporting to act in any such capacity, that person as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to be proceeded against and punished as if he were guilty of the first-mentioned offence.”.

Amendment of section 147 of Principal Act.

33. —Section 147 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of “50 metres” for “100 metres” in subsection (2).

Amendment of Second Schedule to Principal Act.

34. —The Second Schedule to the Principal Act is amended by—

(a) the substitution of “section 14” for “section 14(d)” in paragraphs 2 and 4 of the Table to paragraph (4) of Rule 1,

(b) the insertion in Rule 5 after paragraph (2) of the following paragraph:

“(2A) The registration authority or local authority referred to in paragraph (2) shall include in any registration form delivered to each house or building for the purposes of this Rule, or in their other enquiries, a question which will enable an elector who completes the form on his own behalf or on behalf of other electors resident in the house or building or responds to the question by a representative of the registration or other authority to state that the elector or other person included on the form to whom the enquiry relates does not wish his name and address to be used for a purpose other than an electoral or other statutory purpose.”,

(d) the substitution in Rule 13(4)(a) of “to the Minister, if requested, and to” for “to the Minister,”,

(e) in Rule 14—

(i) the substitution of the following paragraphs for paragraphs (2) and (3):

“(2) The fee for a copy of the register, edited register or draft register or any part thereof shall be fifty pence plus the sum of ten pence for each one hundred by which the number of persons in the register, edited register or draft register or part thereof exceeds one hundred.

(3) The registration authority shall, on payment of the said fee, supply to any person a copy of the register, edited register or draft register or the appropriate part thereof in printed form or in electronic format.”,

and

(ii) in paragraph (4)(bb) (inserted by the Electoral Act, 1997 ) the insertion of “or a body declared to be an approved body under section 7 of the Referendum Act, 1998 ” after “Seanad” where that word secondly occurs,

(f) the insertion of the following Rules after Rule 14:

“PART IA

Edited version of the Register of Electors

14A. (1) Following publication of the register of electors in accordance with Rule 13 of Part 1 of this Schedule, the registration authority shall prepare and publish a version of the register by omitting therefrom the names and addresses of registered electors or electors on whose behalf requests have been made that their details should not be used for a purpose other than an electoral or other statutory purpose.

(2) Where an elector whose details are included in an edited register or edited supplement or edited electors list requests the registration authority to delete the elector's details from the edited register, edited supplement or edited electors list, the registration authority shall note the request and notify any person who received a copy of the edited register, edited supplement or edited electors list of the request.

14B. The registration authority may supply on request to any person a copy of the edited register or edited supplement or of an edited electors list or part of such a register or list in printed form or in electronic format on payment of a fee which fee shall be calculated in accordance with paragraph (2) of Rule 14.”,

and

(g) the deletion in Rule 18(1) of “on or” after “were received”.