Electoral commission will not happen within the lifetime of this Government

The Coalition has reneged on another election promise after admitting that an electoral commission will not be established within the lifetime of this Government.

Environment Minister Alan Kelly announced the first steps in scoping out how such a commission will be set up. He called it a “momentous occasion” but admitted it would only be operational in time for the next local elections in 2019.

The Fine Gael-Labour Programme for Government had pledged to establish a commission in its term.

Instead, the Oireachtas Environment Committee will consult with politicians and other groups and report back to Government. The committee will examine if a commission should oversee electoral boundaries for areas, who should oversee voter registration, and how spending and donations for local elections are handled.

Mr Kelly said the committee would come back in a number of months and he would then examine legislation for the commission.

“This will not be in place for the next election,” he said. “I would hope that it would be in place for the next European and local elections. On average, electoral commissions take about three to four years to actually get in place. It’s my ambition to set up the legislation and, if time allows, to be even bring in the legislation.”

He said an electoral commission was “one of the most fundamental parts” in a democracy.

Committee chairman and TD Michael McCarthy has now been charged with overseeing consultation on the areas the electoral commission would cover. The committee will look at what role returning officers will have and who will be responsible for organising elections.

Meanwhile, Mr Justice Kevin Cross has been made head of the referendum commission for May’s vote on same-sex marriage. The same commission will also oversea vote on reducing the age of eligibility for running for president, which will be held on the same day.