Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013
In short
This law, the Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013, primarily amends existing legislation concerning elections, local government, and planning and development. It aims to update various aspects of these areas, including provisions related to European Parliament elections and the register of electors.
What it regulates
- European Parliament Elections
- The Register of Electors
- Supplements to Postal and Special Voters Lists
- Referendums
- Disclosure of Donations
- Planning and Development
- Local Government
Who it concerns
- Citizens involved in European Parliament elections, referendums, and local government.
- Individuals and entities subject to planning and development regulations.
Key points
- Amends the European Parliament Elections Act 1997, including changing the period for certain actions from "thirty-five days" to "fifty days" and "twenty-eighth day" to "thirty-fifth day".
- Updates provisions regarding the register of electors due to come into force in 2014.
- Repeals sections 21(c) and 22 of the Referendum Act 1994.
- Amends the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Local Government Act 2001.
Legal text
Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.
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- s)or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 2013 Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013 Electoral, Local Government and Planning and Development Act 2013 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Open PDFOscail PDF Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 27 of 2013 ELECTORAL, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 2013 CONTENTS PART 1 Preliminary and General Section 1. Short title, collective citations, construction and commencement 2. Definitions PART 2 European Parliament Elections 3. Amendment of section 2 of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 4. Amendment of section 10 of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 5. Amendment of section 11 of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 6. Amendment of section 12 of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 7. Amendment of section 13 of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 8. Amendment of section 13A of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 9. Amendment of rule 2 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 10. Amendment of rule 6 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 11. Amendment of rule 10 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 12. Amendment of rule 11 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 13. Amendment of rule 13 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 14. Amendment of rule 15 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 15. Amendment of rule 19 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 16. Amendment of rule 27 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 17. Amendment of rule 96 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 18. Minor consequential amendments of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 PART 3 Register of Electors 19. Provisions regarding register of electors due to come into force in 2014 PART 4 Supplements to Postal and Special Voters Lists 20. Amendment of section 15A of Act of 1992 21. Amendment to section 15B of Act of 1992 PART 5 Referendums 22. Repeal of sections 21(
- c)and 22 of Referendum Act 1994 PART 6 Statutory Committee 23. Amendment of section 5 of Act of 1997 24. Amendment of section 6 of Act of 1997 25. Report of committee established under section 5(1A) 26. Committee established under section 5(1A) to invite and consider submissions PART 7 Disclosure of Donations 27. Amendment of section 24 of Act of 1997 PART 8 Planning and Development 28. Amendment of Chapter I of Part II of Planning and Development Act 2000 PART 9 Local Government 29. Amendment of section 144 of Local Government Act 2001 Acts Referred to Electoral (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 4) Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 4) Electoral Act 1992 (No. 23) Electoral Act 1997 (No. 25) European Parliament Elections Act 1997 (No. 2) European Parliament Elections Acts 1992 to 2009 Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2012 (No. 17) Local Government Act 2001 (No. 37) Local Government Acts 1925 to 2012 Planning and Development Act 2000 (No. 30) Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2011 Referendum Act 1994 (No. 12) Referendum Acts 1992 to 2006 Number 27 of2013 ELECTORAL, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACT 2013 An Act to give effect to Council Directive 2013/1/EU of 20 December 20121 and for that purpose to amend the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 ; to amend the Electoral Act 1992 , the Referendum Act 1994 , the Electoral Act 1997 , the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Local Government Act 2001 ; and to provide for related matters. [22nd July, 2013] Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows: PART 1 Preliminary and General Short title, collective citations, construction and commencement 1.
- In this Act— “Act of 1992” means the Electoral Act 1992 ; “Act of 1997” means the Electoral Act 1997 ; “Act of 2009” means the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 . PART 2 European Parliament Elections Amendment of section 2 of European Parliament Elections Act 1997
- Section 2 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended, in subsection
- a)by substituting “Articles 6, 7 and 13” for “Articles 7, 10 and 13” in the definition of “competent administrative authority”, and (
- b)by substituting the following definition for the definition of “the Directive”: “ ‘Directive’ means Council Directive 93/109/EC of 6 December 19932 laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for citizens of the Union residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals, as amended by Council Directive 2013/1/EU of 20 December 2012 amending Directive 93/109/EC as regards certain detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for citizens of the Union residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals;”. Amendment of section 10 of European Parliament Elections Act 1997 4. Section 10 of the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended, in paragraph (
- a)of subsection
- d)being a national of a Member State other than the State or the United Kingdom, stands deprived, as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies, of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of that person’s home Member State, or”, and (
- b)by substituting the following subsection for subsection
- The Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended, in rule 2, by substituting “the thirty-fifth day” for “the twenty-eighth day”. Amendment of rule 6 of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997
- The Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended by substituting the following rule for rule 6: “6.
- a)the Member State of which the person is a national, (
- b)the person’s date and place of birth, (
- c)the person’s last address in the person’s home Member State, (
- d)the address in the State at which the person is ordinarily resident, (
- e)where applicable, the locality or constituency in the person’s home Member State on the electoral roll of which the person’s name was last entered, (
- f)that the person is not a candidate at the election in any other Member State, and (
- g)that the person does not stand deprived of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of the person’s home Member State as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies.
- a)transmit a copy of the statutory declaration to the competent administrative authority of the home Member State of the person who made the statutory declaration, and (
- b)request information from that competent administrative authority verifying whether or not that person stands deprived of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of that person’s home Member State as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies, and the Minister may ask for such information to be provided within a specified period of time.
- a)the Member State of which the person is a national, (
- b)the person’s date and place of birth, (
- c)the person’s last address in the person’s home Member State, (
- d)the address in the State at which the person is ordinarily resident, (
- e)where applicable, the locality or constituency in the person’s home Member State on the electoral roll of which the person’s name was last entered, (
- f)that the person is not a candidate at the election in any other Member State, and (
- g)that the person does not stand deprived of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of the person’s home Member State as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies.”, (
- c)in paragraph
- a)transmit a copy of the statutory declaration to the competent administrative authority of the home Member State of the person who made the statutory declaration, and (
- b)request information from that competent administrative authority verifying whether or not that person stands deprived of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of that person’s home Member State as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies, and the Minister may ask for such information to be provided within a specified period of time.”, and (
- g)by inserting the following new paragraphs: “
- b)by inserting the following subparagraph after subparagraph (
- b)of paragraph
- bb)where the person is a national of a Member State, other than the State or the United Kingdom, the person does not stand deprived, as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies, of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of that person’s home Member State, and”, (
- c)in paragraph
- a)transmit a copy of the declaration to the competent administrative authority of the home Member State of the person who made the declaration, and (
- b)request information from that competent administrative authority verifying whether or not that person stands deprived of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of that person’s home Member State as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies, and the Minister may ask for such information to be provided within a specified period of time. (3B) The Minister shall, as soon as may be after receiving the information requested in paragraph (3A)(b), notify the Clerk of the Dáil as to whether the person stands deprived of the right to stand as a candidate under the law of that person’s home Member State as a result of an individual judicial decision, or an administrative decision that may be subject to judicial remedies. (3C) Where a statutory declaration received by the Clerk of the Dáil pursuant to a request under paragraph
- a)as soon as may be after the Clerk receives notification pursuant to paragraph (3B) that the person does not stand deprived of the right to stand as a candidate, or (
- b)not later than twenty-five days from the date on which the Clerk received the statutory declaration under paragraph (3A), whichever is the sooner.”. Minor consequential amendments of Second Schedule to European Parliament Elections Act 1997 18. The Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act 1997 is amended— (
- a)in rule 20, by substituting “the latest time for receiving nominations specified in rule 10
- e)by deleting rule 114, and (
- f)in rule 150, by deleting, in paragraph
- a)Limerick County and Limerick City shall be deemed to be one registration area, which shall be referred to in this section as the ‘Limerick registration area’, (
- b)North Tipperary County and South Tipperary County shall be deemed to be one registration area, which shall be referred to in this section as the ‘Tipperary registration area’, and (
- c)Waterford County and Waterford City shall be deemed to be one registration area, which shall be referred to in this section as the ‘Waterford registration area’, and references in this Act or an instrument under this Act to a registration area shall, to the extent that such references relate to the purposes specified in this subsection, be construed in accordance with this subsection.
- a)Limerick County Council shall be the registration authority for the Limerick registration area, (
- b)South Tipperary County Council shall be the registration authority for the Tipperary registration area, and (
- c)Waterford County Council shall be the registration authority for the Waterford registration area, and references in this Act or an instrument under this Act to a registration authority shall, to the extent that such references relate to the purposes specified in this subsection, be construed in accordance with this subsection.”. PART 4 Supplements to Postal and Special Voters Lists Amendment of section 15A of Act of 1992 20. The Act of 1992 is amended, in section 15A (inserted by paragraph (
- c)of section 76 of the Act of 1997)— (
- a)by substituting the following subsection for subsection
- a)the third day after the date of the dissolution of the Dáil at a general election, (
- b)the third day after the date of the making of the order appointing polling day at a Dáil bye-election, or (
- c)the twenty-first day (disregarding any excluded day) before polling day at a presidential, European, or local election, or a referendum, shall not have effect in relation to that election or referendum.”, and (
- b)by substituting the following subsection for subsection
- a)in the case of a general election, the third day after the date of the dissolution of the Dáil, (
- b)in the case of a Dáil bye-election, the third day after the date of the making of the order appointing polling day, or (
- c)in the case of a presidential, European, or local election, or a referendum, the twenty-first day (disregarding any excluded day) before polling day, the registration authority shall publish a list of the names of the electors (if any) whose applications to be entered in the supplement to the postal voters list were received before that date and allowed by the registration authority.”. Amendment of section 15B of Act of 1992 21. The Act of 1992 is amended, in section 15B (inserted by paragraph (
- c)of section 76 of the Act of 1997)— (
- a)by substituting the following subsection for subsection
- a)the third day after the date of the dissolution of the Dáil at a general election, (
- b)the third day after the date of the making of the order appointing polling day at a Dáil bye-election, or (
- c)the twenty-first day (disregarding any excluded day) before polling day at a presidential, European, or local election, or a referendum, shall not have effect in relation to that election or referendum.”, and (
- b)by substituting the following subsection for subsection
- a)in the case of a general election, the third day after the date of the dissolution of the Dáil, (
- b)in the case of a Dáil bye-election, the third day after the date of the making of the order appointing polling day, or (
- c)in the case of a presidential, European, or local election, or a referendum, the twenty-first day (disregarding any excluded day) before polling day, the registration authority shall publish a list of the names of the electors (if any) whose applications to be entered in the supplement to the special voters list were received before that date and allowed by the registration authority.”. PART 5 Referendums Repeal of sections 21(
- c)and 22 of Referendum Act 1994 22. Section 21 (
- c)and section 22 of the Referendum Act 1994 are repealed. PART 6 Statutory Committee Amendment of section 5 of Act of 1997 23. Section 5 (inserted by section 9 of the Act of 2009) of the Act of 1997 is amended by inserting the following subsection after subsection
- b)after such presentation the total number of members of the European Parliament to be elected in the State specified pursuant to the treaties governing the European Union is different from the total number to which the Constituency Commission had regard in preparing its report in accordance with paragraph (
- a)of section 6
- i)references to ‘Constituency Commission’ or ‘Commission’ shall be read as ‘committee established under section 5(1A)’, wherever they occur; (
- ii)in subsection
- iv)in section 8— (I) ‘reports’ shall be read as ‘report’, wherever it occurs, and (II) ‘section 9’ shall be read as ‘section 9A’, wherever it occurs; (
- v)in subsection
- a)any person may make a submission to the committee in such manner and within such period (which shall be not less than one month after the date of the giving of the notice) as shall be specified in the notice, and (
- b)submissions received by the committee in the manner and within the period specified in the notice shall be made available free of charge by the committee, to any person wishing to examine them, in such manner and within such period as shall be specified in the notice.
- iv)in respect of each donation (if any), the value of the donation and the name, description and postal address of the person by or on whose behalf the donation was made,”, and (
- b)by inserting the following subparagraphs after subparagraph (iv): “(
- v)the date on which the donation was received, (
- vi)whether the donation was requested from the donor, and if so, the name and postal address of the person who requested the donation, and (vii) whether a receipt issued to the donor in respect of the donation, and if so, the date on which the receipt issued and the name of the person who issued the receipt.”. PART 8 Planning and Development Amendment of Chapter I of Part II of Planning and Development Act 2000 28. Chapter I of Part II of the Planning and Development Act 2000 is amended by inserting the following sections after section 11: “Extension of certain development plans and restriction of section 11 11A.
- a)in respect of its administrative area, a town council, or (
- b)in respect of its administrative area, North Tipperary County Council, South Tipperary County Council, Limerick County Council, Limerick City Council, Waterford County Council or Waterford City Council; ‘town council’ means the town council of a town set out in Part 1 of Schedule 6 to the Local Government Act 2001 and to which section 11
- a)where the specified planning authority decides not to review its development plan, or (
- b)where a notice of intention to review its development plan has been given by the specified planning authority under that subsection and it decides by virtue of this section not to review, or not to continue to review, that plan, and, accordingly, the development plan shall continue to have effect until such time as a development plan that includes the administrative area of the specified planning authority is made for the purposes of section 11B.
- a)is given in writing to the Minister, (
- b)where the planning authority is a town council, is given in writing to the council of the county in which the town council is situated, and (
- c)is published in a newspaper circulating in the area to which the development plan concerned relates.
- a)North Tipperary County Council and South Tipperary County Council, (
- b)Limerick County Council and Limerick City Council, or (
- c)Waterford County Council and Waterford City Council, then, the council for each of the areas so amalgamated shall be its planning authority and shall, within 12 months of the making of regional planning guidelines that take into account the amalgamation of the administrative areas concerned, commence the preparation of a development plan for its administrative area.
- a)the development plan for the administrative area of such a town council (in this section referred to as the ‘dissolved administrative area’) shall continue to have effect to the extent provided for by that plan and be read together with the development plan for the administrative area within which the dissolved administrative area is situated, and (
- b)a development plan as so read in accordance with paragraph (
- a)shall, except where section 11B