Next (SCHEDULE Constituencies)

3 1969

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Number 3 of 1969


ELECTORAL (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1969


ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1.

Definition.

2.

Number of members of Dáil Éireann.

3.

Constituencies.

4.

Number of members to be returned for a constituency.

5.

Re-election of outgoing Ceann Comhairle.

6.

Temporary arrangements with respect to register of electors.

7.

Temporary arrangement with respect to certain polling districts.

8.

Repeal.

9.

Short title, construction and collective citation.

SCHEDULE

Constituencies


Acts Referred to

Electoral Act, 1963

1963, No. 19.

Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1961

1961, No. 19.

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Number 3 of 1969


ELECTORAL (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1969


AN ACT TO FIX THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF DAIL EIREANN AND TO REVISE THEIR CONSTITUENCIES AND TO AMEND THE LAW RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF SUCH MEMBERS. [26th March, 1969]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Definition.

1. —In this Act “the Minister” means the Minister for Local Government.

Number of members of Dáil Éireann.

2. —Dáil Éireann shall, after the dissolution thereof which next occurs after the passing of this Act, consist of One Hundred and Forty-four members.

Constituencies.

3. —(1) The members of Dáil Éireann shall, after the dissolution of Dáil Éireann which next occurs after the passing of this Act, represent the constituencies specified in the Schedule to this Act.

(2) An area specified in the Schedule to this Act shall be taken to be that area as constituted on the 1st day of January, 1968, but if any doubt arises as to the constituency in which any townland or part thereof, any road or street or part thereof, or any part of a ward, is included, the doubt shall be determined by the Minister.

(3) In the Schedule to this Act—

(a) a reference to a line drawn along any road, street, avenue, bridge, river or canal shall be construed as a reference to a line drawn along the middle of the road, street, avenue, bridge, river or canal,

(b) a reference to a point at which any road, street, avenue, bridge or river intersects or joins another road, street, avenue, bridge or river shall be construed as a reference to the point at which a line drawn along the middle of the one and a line drawn along the middle of the other would intersect or join,

(c) a reference to the point at which any road, street, avenue, river or canal intersects or joins a boundary shall be construed as a reference to the point at which a line drawn along the middle of such road, street, avenue, river or canal would intersect or join such boundary, and

(d) a reference to a former rural district shall be construed as a reference to that district as constituted immediately before the 1st day of October, 1925.

Number of members to be returned for a constituency.

4. —A constituency specified in the Schedule to this Act shall return the number of members set out in respect thereof in the third column of that Schedule.

Re-election of outgoing Ceann Comhairle.

5. —For the purposes of section 14 (1) (b) of the Electoral Act, 1963 , the constituency of Donegal-Leitrim specified in the Schedule to this Act is hereby declared to correspond to the constituency of South-West Donegal specified in the Schedule to the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1961 .

Temporary arrangements with respect to register of electors.

6. —(1) Where a polling district or part of a polling district is situate in a constituency specified in the Schedule to this Act which is identical in area and name with none of the constituencies existing at the passing of this Act, the Minister may by direction provide for the entry of the name of that constituency in respect of the polling district, or part of the polling district, in every draft register, list of claimants, register of electors and list of corrections prepared under Part II of the Electoral Act, 1963 , and published by a registration authority before the dissolution of Dáil Éireann which next occurs after the passing of this Act.

(2) Where a constituency specified in the Schedule to this Act is identical in area and name with none of the constituencies existing at the passing of this Act, a postal voters list or lists shall be prepared in respect of it by the registration authority or registration authorities concerned as soon as may be after such passing.

Temporary arrangement with respect to certain polling districts.

7. —(1) Where a polling district existing at the passing of this Act is not wholly situate within one of the constituencies specified in the Schedule to this Act, the appropriate officer, after consultation with the returning officer for the constituency concerned, shall, with respect to the part of the polling district situate in a constituency so specified—

(a) join it or parts of it with any adjoining polling district or districts, or

(b) constitute it as a polling district and appoint a polling place for it.

(2) An arrangement made pursuant to paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section—

(a) shall be subject to the sanction of the Minister,

(b) shall not have effect in relation to any bye-election occurring before the dissolution of Dáil Éireann which next occurs after the passing of this Act, and

(c) shall have effect until (and only until) the first scheme under section 22 of the Electoral Act, 1963 , in relation to the county or county borough in which the polling district is situate comes into operation after the passing of this Act.

(3) In this section “the appropriate officer” means—

(a) in relation to a polling district situate in a county borough, the manager for the purposes of the Acts relating to the management of the county borough (including a person duly appointed either as deputy for such manager or to act in the place of such manager during his absence or incapacity or during a vacancy in his office),

(b) in relation to any other polling district, the secretary of the council of the county in which the polling district is situate (including a person duly appointed either as deputy for such secretary or to act in the place of such secretary during his absence or incapacity or during a vacancy in his office).

Repeal.

8. —(1) The Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1961 , is hereby repealed.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall come into operation on the dissolution of Dáil Éireann which next occurs after the passing of this Act.

Short title, construction and collective citation.

9. —(1) This Act may be cited as the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1969.

(2) The Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1966, and this Act shall be construed together as one Act and may be cited together as the Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1969.