GENERAL SCHEME OF ELECTORAL REFORM BILL PUBLISHED

The General Scheme of the Electoral Reform Bill, to provide for significant electoral reforms including a statutory, independent Electoral Commission for Ireland and the modernisation of Ireland’s electoral registration process, has been published.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, TD, and the Minister of State with Responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, recently published the General Scheme, which will also regulate online political advertising in the run-up to electoral events, and make amendments to electoral law, to assist in holding electoral events if Covid-19 restrictions are in place.

The Electoral Commission, independent of Government, will report directly to the Oireachtas. It will take on several existing statutory electoral functions from the outset, including responsibility for the registration of political parties, the work currently carried out by Referendum Commissions, Constituency Commissions and Local Electoral Area Boundary Committees.

In addition, it will have responsibility for the regulation of online political advertising during electoral periods, oversight of the Electoral Register and a new public information, research and advisory role in relation to electoral matters. These functions will give the Commission a central role in Ireland’s electoral system from the outset, bringing together a broad range of responsibilities.