Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001

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.”.