Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001

Amendment of Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937.

56.—The Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937 , is amended—

(a) in section 7(2) by the deletion of “, if a woman”;

(b) in section 8 by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1):

“(1A) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section and the First Schedule to this Act, the governing body of every university which is a university constituency shall cause to be prepared and published 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 Rule 15A of the said Schedule.

(b) A person who uses information in the register prepared under subsection (1) of this section, being information which is excluded from the edited register, for a purpose, other than an electoral or other statutory purpose, shall be guilty of an offence.

(c) A governing body shall not be obliged to comply with paragraph (a) of this subsection until the day which is 3 years after the commencement of section 56 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001, but if it complies with that paragraph before that day, paragraph (b) of this subsection and section 25 (inserted by section 166 of the Principal Act) of this Act shall apply accordingly.”;

(c) in section 15 by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (2):

“(3) 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 (2) of this section has been prepared or not), if he thinks fit and on such terms as he thinks fit, make such an advance.”;

(d) in section 20(2) by the insertion of “and may include a photograph of each candidate in accordance with such requirements as may be prescribed in that behalf” after “perforated”;

(e) in section 25 (inserted by section 166 of the Principal Act) by the insertion of “133,” after “57,” in subsection (1);

(f) in the First Schedule—

(i) in Rule 4—

(I) by the substitution of “sent, and” for “sent.” in paragraph (c);

(II) by the insertion after paragraph (c) of the following paragraph:

“(d) that he does not wish his name and address to be used for a purpose other than an electoral or other statutory purpose.”;

(ii) in Rule 14—

(I) by the substitution of “dead, and” for “dead.” in paragraph (c);

(II) by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (c);

“(d) removing from such register the name of any person, after reasonable enquiry by the registration officer, whose address or the address to which a ballot paper is to be sent is unknown.”;

(iii) in Rule 15 by the insertion of “in printed form or in electronic format” after “copy” in paragraph (d); and

(iv) by the insertion of the following Rule after Rule 15:

“15A. (1) Following publication of the revised register (within the meaning of Rule 15 of this Schedule) the registration officer shall prepare and publish a version of the register by omitting therefrom the names and addresses of registered electors who have requested that such 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 requests the registration officer to delete the elector's details from the edited register, the registration officer shall note the request and notify any person who received a copy of the edited register of the request.

(3) The registration officer may supply on request to any person a copy of the edited register or part thereof in printed form or in electronic format on payment of a prescribed fee.”.