DARRAGH O'BRIEN TD
  • HOME
  • About Darragh
  • News
  • Parliamentary Questions
    • Housing, Planning & Local Government PQ's
    • School PQs
    • Foreign Affairs PQS
    • Oral Questions
  • Newsletters
  • Videos
  • PHOTOS
  • FIANNA FAIL
  • CONTACT
  • DATA Protection Statement

News

An Coimisiún Toghcháin (The Electoral Commission) is formally established on a statutory footing

9/2/2023

 
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan have welcomed the formal establishment of An Coimisiún Toghcháin (the Electoral Commission) on a statutory footing today (9 February), paving the way for the Commission to begin its work as an independent body.
Both Ministers have also welcomed the appointment of the Hon. Ms. Justice Marie Baker to the role of An Coimisiún Toghcháin’s Chairperson. Her appointment to the role of Chairperson completes An Coimisiún’s seven-person membership, following the appointment of four ordinary members in December 2022. The Clerk of the Dáil and the Ombudsman will sit as ex officio members of An Coimisiún.
Minister O’Brien said:
“I wish to congratulate Justice Baker on her appointment as Chairperson of An Coimisiún Toghcháin. She will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to this significant role in the operation and safeguarding of our democratic processes.
"I urge the public to engage with the important, upcoming work of the Commission in protecting and modernising our electoral landscape.”
An Coimisiún Toghcháin is independent of Government, reporting directly to the Oireachtas and will be central to the administration, development and protection of our democratic processes and institutions.
The establishment of An Coimisiún Toghcháin is a commitment in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future and follows from the Electoral Reform Act 2022. An Coimisiún Toghcháin will carry out a broad range of core existing electoral functions, including explaining to the public the subject matter of referendums; reviewing Dáil Éireann and European Parliament constituencies and local electoral area boundaries and the preparation and maintenance of the Register of Political Parties. It will also carry out a number of new functions including research on electoral policy, the regulation of online political advertising and protecting the integrity of elections.
Minister Noonan said:
“An Coimisiún Toghcháin will be at the international cutting edge of electoral reform, particularly with respect to its significant powers and responsibilities in protecting our electoral system and processes in the online space – an area of growing concern. I’m particularly pleased that it will also have a role in researching the barriers to participation experienced by marginalised and disenfranchised groups, and in communicating impartial, reliable information to everyone, including hard to reach groups. The establishment of the Commission marks a milestone in the reform and modernisation of our electoral system. Ireland is known for the high democratic standard of its electoral processes and today’s announcement ensures that this will remain the case into the future.”
NotesFunctions of An Coimisiún ToghcháinAn Coimisiún Toghcháin is independent of Government, reporting directly to the Oireachtas and will be central to the administration, development and protection of our democratic processes and institutions.
It will take on a broad range of core existing electoral functions, including:
(a) explaining to the public the subject matter of referendums;
(b) reviewing Dáil Éireann and European Parliament constituencies and local electoral area boundaries;
(c) the preparation and maintenance of the Register of Political Parties
It will carry out a range of new electoral roles, including:
(a) conducting research on electoral policy and procedure and making; recommendations to the Minister, thereby influencing the evolution of our electoral system;
(b) providing the public with information on electoral processes (including referenda) and encouraging participation in the electoral and democratic processes of the State;
(c) overseeing the management of the electoral register;
(d) reporting on how electoral events are administered;
(e) regulating online political advertising; and
(f) protecting the integrity of elections and referendums against online disinformation, misinformation and manipulative or inauthentic behaviour


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    NEWS

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015

Darragh O'Brien TD


Address

Darragh O'Brien TD
Leinster House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2

Telephone

T:  01-6183802

Email

At present, and as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am not holding my regular meetings across our towns and villages in North County Dublin. However, both I and my office are happy to speak to you and assist you with any issues you may have.

For all housing, planning or heritage related queries please don’t hesitate to contact:
Email: minister@housing.gov.ie
Phone: 01-8882000
Postal address: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Custom House, Dublin 1, D01 W6X0
 
For all constituency related queries please don’t hesitate to contact:
Email: Darragh.obrien@oireachtas.ie
Phone: 01-6183802
Postal address: Dáil Éireann, Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
 



  • HOME
  • About Darragh
  • News
  • Parliamentary Questions
    • Housing, Planning & Local Government PQ's
    • School PQs
    • Foreign Affairs PQS
    • Oral Questions
  • Newsletters
  • Videos
  • PHOTOS
  • FIANNA FAIL
  • CONTACT
  • DATA Protection Statement