S.I. No. 344/1948 - Local Elections (Scale of Expenses) Order, 1948.

S.I. No. 344 of 1948.

LOCAL ELECTIONS (SCALE OF EXPENSES) ORDER, 1948.

The Minister for Local Government in exercise of the powers vested in him by sections 4 and 72 of the Local Government Act, 1946 (No. 24 of 1946) hereby makes the following regulations:—

1. These regulations may be cited as the Local Elections (Scale of Expenses) Order, 1948.

2. The scale of expenses set forth in the Schedule hereto shall be the scale of maximum expenses for elections regulated by rules framed under the Local Government (Application of Enactments) Order, 1898.

SCHEDULE.

PART I

DEFINITIONS.

1. In this Schedule—

the word " election " means an election regulated by rules framed under the Local Government (Application of Enactments) Order, 1898 ;

the word " elector " means a person whose name appears on the register of local government electors as entitled to vote at an election ;

the expression " electoral area " means a county electoral area, borough electoral area, urban electoral area or town electoral area as the case may be ; and

the expression " returning officer " includes a deputy returning officer.

PART II

FOR SERVICES OF RETURNING OFFICERS.

2.—(1) The fee to the returning officer for conducting an election shall be as follows:—

(2) Where an election is a contested election, the fee specified in the preceding sub-article may be increased by whichever of the following amounts is appropriate :—

3.—(1) The fee to the returning officer for the performance of duties relating to the counting of votes in an electoral area shall be :—

(a) One Pound where the number of electors in the electoral area does not exceed 1,000 ;

(b) Two Shillings for every 100 electors, where the number of electors in the electoral area exceeds 1,000 but does not exceed 8,000.

(c) Eight Pounds where the number of electors in the electoral area exceeds 8,000.

(2) Where a person is returning officer for more than one electoral area, the total fee for the performance of duties relating to the counting of votes shall not exceed Ten Pounds.

PART III

DISBURSEMENTS OF RETURNING OFFICER.

4.—(1) The disbursements for taking the poll shall be as follows :—

(2) Where a presiding officer or poll clerk performs on the same day duties in respect of the election of members of more than one local authority, the total fee payable in respect of his services shall be the fee prescribed by the preceding sub-article increased by one-fourth.

5.—(1) The returning officer may divide at his discretion between the persons appointed to assist him in counting the votes in an electoral area a sum calculated as follows :—

(a) where the number of candidates nominated and not withdrawn exceeds by one or two the number of members to be elected, 3s. 10d. for each complete 100 electors ;

(b) where the said number exceeds by three, four or five the number of members to be elected, 4s. 4d. for each complete 100 electors ;

(c) where the said number exceeds by six or more the number of members to be elected, 4s. 10d. for each complete 100 electors.

(2) The total sum payable under the preceding sub-article may be increased :—

(a) by one-twentieth in respect of the eighth and each subsequent count, and

(b) by £5 where the number of electors exceeds 2,000.

(3) For the purposes of this article—

(a) where the returning officer may in one operation exclude two or more lowest candidates, such exclusion, although carried out separately, shall be regarded as one count, and

(b) no operation shall be regarded as a count unless an actual transfer of papers is required to be made and is made.

6. The maximum expenses that may be paid for legal, clerical and other assistance employed by the returning officer (excludingany services the payment for which is otherwise prescribed in this Schedule) shall be the actual and necessary cost as vouched and certified by the returning officer to have been actually and necessarily incurred but not exceeding £6 or £1 10s. for each 1,000 electors (whichever is the greater).

7. The maximum expenses that may be paid for the following items shall be the actual and necessary cost as vouched and certified by the returning officer to have been actually and necessarily incurred :

(a) use of room or building (including lighting and firing, and expenses attending the use of such room or building) ;

(b) fitting up rooms required for poll, or, when necessary, constructing a polling station with its fittings and compartments ;

(c) ballot boxes required to be purchased, hired or repaired ;

(d) printing and providing ballot papers ;

(e) stationery, postage and telegrams ;

(f) purchase or alteration of stamping instruments ;

(g) copies of the Register of Local Government Electors ;

(h) printing and providing notices, nomination forms, and other documents required in and about the election or poll, and costs of publishing the same ;

(i) election officers' travelling expenses where necessary ;

(j) conveyance of ballot boxes, and papers to polling stations ;

(k) conveyance of ballot boxes from the polling stations to the place where the ballot papers are counted ;

(l) expenses of the Gárda Síochána where their services are required.

8. In every borough (other than a county borough) urban district or town when polls are taken together for the election of county councillors, urban councillors or commissioners of a town, all disbursements under sub-article (2) of article 4 and paragraphs (b), (f), (g) and (l) of Article 7 of this Schedule shall be added together and one-half charged to the county in which such borough, urban district or town is situate and the remaining half to such borough, urban district or town as the case may be.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Local Government this thirtieth day of September, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Forty-eight.

(Signed) T. J. MURPHY,

Minister for Local Government.