Electoral Commission (Ireland)
An independent electoral commission is planned by the the current Irish government to oversee the conduct of all elections in the state. This responsibility is at present distributed among various government departments, statutory agencies and components of the Oireachtas (parliament).
History
In 2008, the then Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government commissioned and published a study on introducing an electoral commission, carried out by academics from University College Dublin.[1] After the 2011 general election, the Fine Gael and Labour parties formed a coalition government whose programme included a commitment to establish an electoral commission.[2] Such a commission was also recommended in the Constitutional Convention's 2013 report on the system of elections to Dáil Éireann (lower house of the Oireachtas),[3] which was also endorsed the the government.[4] Minister Alan Kelly outlined progress of the plan in Seanad Éireann (upper house of the Oireachtas) in December 2014.[5][6] The government published a consultation paper in January 2015, and intends to introduce a bill in the Oireachtas in 2015.[7]
Possible functions
The Australian Electoral Commission and UK Electoral Commission have been taken as case studies of possible models for the Irish body.[8] The 2015 consultation paper suggests the new commission might subsume several existing bodies, including some or all of the Referendum Commission, the Standards in Public Office Commission, the Constituency Commission (for Dáil and European Parliament constituency boundaries) and the Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee. It might also take responsibility for electoral functions from other bodies:[9]
- maintaining the electoral register (currently done by local authorities and the Franchise Section of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government)
- acting as returning officer (done by local authorities)
- the register of political parties (maintained by the clerk of the Dáil)
- elections to the Seanad Vocational Panels (overseen by the clerk of the Seanad)
References
- "Consultation Paper on the Establishment of an Electoral Commission in Ireland" (PDF). Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG). 27 January 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- "Fourth Report: Dáil Electoral System" (PDF). Constitutional Convention. August 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
Citations
- ↑ Sinnott, Richard; John Coakley, John O’Dowd, James McBride (November 2008). "Preliminary study on the establishment of an Electoral Commission in Ireland" (PDF). Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ DECLG 2015, p.5
- ↑ Constitutional Convention 2013, p.9
- ↑ "Fourth Report of the Constitutional Convention on the Dáil Electoral System: Statements (Continued)". Dáil Éireann debates. 18 December 2014. p. 47. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ "“Progress on the Establishment of Independent Electoral Commission” Speech by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly T.D.". MerrionStreet.ie. Government of Ireland. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ "Electoral Commission: Motion". Seanad Éireann debates. 17 December 2014. p. 24. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ Kehoe, Paul (14 January 2015). "Section C: Bills in respect of which heads have yet to be approved by Government" (PDF). Government Legislation Programme: Spring/Summer Session 2015. p. 13. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ Constitutional Convention 2013, pp.62–63, 77
- ↑ DECLG 2015, p.17