Roche rushes to act over voter register criticism

ENVIRONMENT Minister Dick Roche will attend a hastily convened meeting of a backbench committee on Monday to discuss criticisms of his efforts to update the electoral register.

Mr Roche yesterday asked the All-Party Committee on the Environment to meet him this morning to discuss his controversial reforms amid claims that as many as half a million voters may have been inadvertently struck off in the draft register for 2007-2008. However, the meeting could not be arranged at such short notice. It will instead take place on Monday at noon.

Mr Roche wanted an early meeting as he will be abroad next week, attending a UN conference on climate change in Nairobi, Kenya.