Electoral Act, 1997

Constituency Commission to invite and consider submissions.

10.—(1) A Constituency Commission shall, as soon as may be after its establishment, give public notice of its intention to make a report relating to—

(a) the constituencies for the election of members to the Dáil, and

(b) the constituencies for the election of representatives to the European Parliament.

(2) (a) As soon as may be after its establishment, a Commission shall prepare—

(i) a statement setting out the relevant provisions of the Constitution in relation to Dáil constituencies to which the Commission is required to have regard in preparing a report under section 6 (1) (a), and

(ii) statements based on the population as ascertained by the Census of Population last taken before the establishment of the Commission showing, for the constituencies for the time being in force for Dáil and European elections, in relation to each constituency—

(I) the number of members or representatives, as the case may be;

(II) the population of the constituency;

(III) the population per member or representative, as the case may be, of the constituency; and

(IV) the percentage variation of population per member or representative, as the case may be, of the constituency from the national average population per member or representative.

(b) The Commission shall furnish, on request, to any person a copy of the statements referred to in paragraph (a).

(3) The public notice referred to in subsection (1) shall indicate that—

(a) the statements prepared by the Commission under subsection (2) may be obtained on request from the Commission,

(b) any person may make a submission to the Commission in such manner and within such period as shall be specified in the notice, and

(c) submissions received by the Commission within the period specified in the notice referred to in paragraph (b) may be inspected at such place and during such period as shall be specified in the notice and that a copy thereof or of extracts therefrom may be taken on payment of a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of copying.

(4) The Commission shall consider every submission made to it in accordance with such notice.

(5) The submissions received by the Commission under this section shall be open to public inspection at such time and place and under such conditions as may be specified by the Commission and the Commission shall permit a copy thereof or of extracts therefrom to be taken on payment of a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of copying.

(6) The Commission shall dispose of all money received by it in respect of fees under subsection (5) in such manner as may be directed by the Minister for Finance.