Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution - report on the electoral system

Sulmac

From the Oireachtas website:

Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution recommends significant changes to the implementation of the PR-STV Electoral System in this country

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution, in a report on the electoral system published today, recommends substantial changes to the operation of the PR-STV electoral system in Ireland which it considers would significantly improve its functioning.

It presents 29 recommendations for improving the system. Areas identified where improvements are required include: the level of women’s representation; the voting age; the filling of casual vacancies; the transfer of surplus votes; ease of access to the ballot on election day; the number of seats that are contested in each constituency; the manner in which constituency boundaries are drawn; the filling of casual vacancies in Dáil Éireann; and the proportionality of vote share to seat share.

The Committee underlines the importance of legitimacy in any electoral reform process and recommends that citizens should be given every opportunity to play a part in choosing the system by which they elect their representatives.

It proposes the establishment of a Citizens’ Assembly to examine the electoral system in Ireland, and, if it deems that reform is necessary, to propose change.

Presenting the report at a press conference in Leinster House today, Deputy Jim O’Keeffe, Vice-Chairman of the Committee said:

“The Committee has spent 12 months listening, considering, deliberating and deciding on the electoral system. Over the course of our deliberations we considered a broad body of evidence from academic experts with specialised knowledge of electoral systems, parliamentarians, advocacy groups and other interested persons, together with evidence of international best practice in electoral administration.

In the course of its hearings the Committee heard that there is no best electoral system and it is acknowledged that it is not possible to achieve all desired objectives of an electoral system perfectly.

The Committee considers that the current system could be very significantly improved. It makes a number of recommendations which, if implemented, would positively impact the democratic process and the functioning of the democratic institutions in this country.

The Committee also underlines that changing the electoral system should not be regarded as the panacea that will guarantee desired improvements to the functioning of the democratic process and that other aspects of the democratic institutional architecture would also benefit from reform, most notably reform to enhance the role of Parliament in providing effective parliamentary accountability. These reforms could be introduced immediately by amending Dáil Standing Orders”

A Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform
The citizens’ assembly process has become an important method for countries to review their electoral system. In order to de-politicise any reform process, the Committee recommends the establishment of a citizens’ assembly on electoral reform in Ireland to examine the performance of the PR-STV, and, if it deems that reforms are necessary, to propose changes. The establishment of such a body would also facilitate greater popular engagement with the democratic institutions as well as enhancing the legitimacy of any proposed reform, the Committee says.

An Independent Electoral Commission
The Committee strongly supports the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission. It recommends that the Commission be placed on a constitutional footing in order to enhance its legitimacy and to guarantee its independence.

Women's Representation
The Committee underlines that political parties are the real gate-keepers to women’s political participation and that at political party level greater efforts are needed to translate the principle of equality into practice. The Committee considered evidence which suggests that when more women candidates run for political office, more women are elected to political office. It recommends that political parties be required, as one of the conditions for public funding, to submit an annual statement to the new Electoral Commission, for publication, setting out in detail the policies and actions being pursued by them to promote gender equality in their electoral candidates and parliamentary representation.

It also recommends that the Attorney General be asked to examine the constitutional implications of a proposed measure under which public funding of political parties would be regulated so that a proportion of the funding allocated to a party would be determined by the number of women candidates it nominates for election.

Filling of Casual Vacancies in Dáil Éireann
The Committee recommends that whenever a casual vacancy occurs in the membership of Dáil Éireann, legislation would require that a by-election be held to fill the vacancy within six months of the vacancy occurring. Alternatively, candidates would nominate a replacement list of candidates to take their place should they resign or die

Among the other recommendations in the report are:
o the voting age for Dáil elections be lowered from 18 years to 17 years;
o no change would be made to the formula for determining the number of members of Dáil Éireann;
o voting at elections takes place at weekends and would take place over two consecutive days;
o the Electoral Commission assume responsibility for the drawing of constituency boundaries;
o the number of TDs representing a constituency should not be less than 4, except that 3 seat constituencies may be recommended where otherwise the geographic size of the constituency would be disproportionately large;
o priority be given to the introduction of a structured programme of Dáil reform to enhance to enhance parliamentary accountability of Government and engagement with the public;
o the introduction of a voter education programme, as part of the senior cycle programme in second-level schools, to promote awareness of the right to vote among newly eligible voters;
o a new voter registration system be established and maintained under the authority of the proposed new Electoral Commission;
o the electoral registration process in Northern Ireland be used as a model of best practice in designing and implementing the new voter registration system.

RTÉ News - IrishTimes.com - BreakingNews.ie

There's a lot in it, but it makes for interesting reading!

I find it unusual that they want the voting age to fall to 17, usually calls are made for it to fall to 16 - like in Austria. That said, I'm not against it, and with a decent senior-cycle politics course it could prove to be a positive.

The call for by-elections to be held within six months of a vacancy is something I think we can all support, as is the proposal to streamline voter registration and only have elections on weekends over two days (like they have in many other European countries, such as Spain I think).

A minimum of four TDs per constituency could help Labour and other smaller parties, or in very rural areas it could work to the advantage of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Still, it would be interesting to see how they would go about implementing it.

The Citizen's Assembly thing has been done to death by Fine Gael and Labour already, but it would add more legitimacy to any proposals to change the system to one involving lists (most likely the same as Germany or New Zealand's system of MMP).

Over to you, folks!

DrumSteve

Tourkeys voting for christmas comes to mind.

one thing the Irish politcal system will fight to the death is change. they have it good at the moment why change it.

(and they especially wont hold votes on the weekends... when them pesky students will turn out)

Sleepy

I like the weekend voting suggestion. Missed out on my vote too many times due to work commitments etc.

Cookie_Monster

Sulmac wrote: »

I find it unusual that they want the voting age to fall to 17, usually calls are made for it to fall to 16 - like in Austria. That said, I'm not against it, and with a decent senior-cycle politics course it could prove to be a positive.

I don't get this really. turning 18 allows you to do all sorts of "adult" things. drink, vote, jury, etc
I don't see a reason to lower voting age below being an "adult" and allowing children (in the eyes of the law) to vote.

Sulmac wrote: »

The call for by-elections to be held within six months of a vacancy is something I think we can all support, as is the proposal to streamline voter registration and only have elections on weekends over two days (like they have in many other European countries, such as Spain I think).

why not 3 months though, 6 months is still along time.

Sulmac wrote: »

A minimum of four TDs per constituency could help Labour and other smaller parties, or in very rural areas it could work to the advantage of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Still, it would be interesting to see how they would go about implementing it.

there are far too many TDs as it is. a limit of 2 per constituency may have been more appropriate I think.

bijapos

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution, in a report on the electoral system published today, recommends substantial changes to the operation of the PR-STV electoral system in Ireland which it considers would significantly improve its functioning.

Firstly, they are not substantial changes. The JOC are changing the rules slightly to suit themselves after the public have asked for real change.

I've no issue one way or another with dropping the voting age to 17 but I think dropping it to 16 for Local Elections would be better. also Local elecs should be staggered.

Two days for voting is worth a try but making the postal vote far more accessible would also help things.

Voting Register based on PPS numbers is long overdue, instead of welcoming it i might ask "What took so long?"

o the number of TDs representing a constituency should not be less than 4, except that 3 seat constituencies may be recommended where otherwise the geographic size of the constituency would be disproportionately large

So not much change here by the sound of things? There are too many constituencies and TDs as it is.

Citizens Assembley?? Who is going to be on this? Call me a cynic but will it be more than the Celia Larkins of this world and her like? Not such a bad idea on paper but I won't be holding my breath.

No mention of half of them being elected on a list system here which is badly needed.