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Ireland

Local Elections Act, 1972

What is this act about?

This law, the Local Elections Act, 1972, updates previous laws concerning local elections. It primarily changes who can vote in local elections, removes certain disqualifications for serving on local bodies, and alters the schedule for holding local elections and related appointments.

Who it applies to: Individuals who wish to vote in local elections; Individuals who are elected, chosen, or appointed to local authorities, vocational education committees, or county committees of agriculture.

At a glance

Country
Ireland
Area of law
Constitutional law and human rights
Articles
6
Source
irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved
Explanation updated

What does this act regulate?

  • The eligibility criteria for being registered as a local government elector.
  • Disqualifications for membership in local authorities, vocational education committees, and county committees of agriculture.
  • The years in which local elections are to be held.
  • The schedule for appointments of members to school attendance committees and certain meetings of vocational education committees.

Who does this act apply to?

  • Individuals who wish to vote in local elections.
  • Individuals who are elected, chosen, or appointed to local authorities, vocational education committees, or county committees of agriculture.

What are the key points?

  • To be a local government elector, a person must be at least twenty-one years old and ordinarily resident in the local electoral area on the qualifying date.
  • Receiving general assistance or having been adjudicated bankrupt or made an arrangement with creditors no longer disqualifies a person from being a member of a local authority, vocational education committee, or county committee of agriculture.
  • Local elections for members of every local authority will be held in 1973 and every five years thereafter.
  • Appointments for school attendance committees and certain meetings of vocational education committees will also follow a quinquennial schedule starting in 1973.

Constitutional law and human rights

8
Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Eireann) Act, 1922
Treaty (Confirmation of Amending Agreement) Act, 1925
Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924
Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1927
Electoral (Seanad Elections) Act, 1925
Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1983
Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1984
Oireachtas (Payment of Members) Act, 1933

Constitutional law and human rights

Legal text

Legal text
Contents (6)
  1. Section 1
  2. Section 2
  3. Section 3
  4. Section 4
  5. Section 5
  6. Section 6

Local Elections Act, 1972 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.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1972 Local Elections Act, 1972 Local Elections Act, 1972 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 Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 12 of 1972 LOCAL ELECTIONS ACT, 1972 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section

Section 1

Amendment of section 5 (2) of Electoral Act, 1963.

Section 2

Removal of certain membership disqualifications with regard to local authorities and certain other related bodies.

Section 3

Alteration of years for holding local elections.

Section 4

Alteration of years for making appointments of members of school attendance committees.

Section 5

Provision with respect to certain meetings of vocational education committees.

Section 6

Short title, collective citations and construction.

Acts Referred to Electoral Act, 1963 1963, No. 19 Public Assistance Act, 1939 1939, No. 27 Local Elections Act, 1966 1966, No. 28 School Attendance Act, 1926 1926, No. 17 Vocational Education Act, 1930 1930, No. 29 Number 12 of 1972 LOCAL ELECTIONS ACT, 1972 AN ACT TO AMEND

SECTION 5

OF THE ELECTORAL ACT, 1963 , TO REMOVE CERTAIN MEMBERSHIP DISQUALIFICATIONS WITH REGARD TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND CERTAIN OTHER RELATED BODIES, TO ALTER THE YEARS FOR HOLDING LOCAL ELECTIONS AND TO MAKE PROVISION FOR CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED WITH LOCAL ELECTIONS. [4th July, 1972] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Amendment of section 5 (2) of Electoral Act, 1963.

1.—

Section 5

(2)of the Electoral Act, 1963 , is hereby amended by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d): “(a) A person shall be entitled to be registered as a local government elector in a local electoral area if he has reached the age of twenty-one years and he was, on the qualifying date, ordinarily resident in that area.”.

Removal of certain membership disqualifications with regard to local authorities and certain other related bodies.

2.—(1) A person shall not be disqualified for being elected, chosen, appointed or being a member of a local authority, a vocational education committee or a county committee of agriculture because— (a) within twelve months either before or since his election or being so chosen or appointed, he has received general assistance within the meaning of the Public Assistance Act, 1939 , or (b) within five years either before or since his election or being so chosen or appointed, he has been adjudicated bankrupt, or made an arrangement with his creditors.

(2)The following provisions of Article 12 of the Schedule to the Local Government (Application of Enactments) Order, 1898, shall, with respect to membership of a local authority, a vocational education committee or a county committee of agriculture, cease to have effect, namely: (a) subparagraph (b) of paragraph (4), (b) “or has, within or during the time aforesaid, been adjudged bankrupt, or made a composition or arrangement with his creditors” in subparagraph (c) of paragraph (4), and (c) paragraph (7).

Alteration of years for holding local elections.

3.—(1)

Section 81

(1)of the Electoral Act, 1963 , as amended by section 1 of the Local Elections Act, 1966 , is hereby amended by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (a): “(a) An election of members of every local authority shall be held in the year 1973 and quinquennially thereafter.”.
(2)The terms of office of members of local authorities current at the passing of this Act shall stand extended so as to be in accordance with the holding in the year 1973 of the elections of members of local authorities next after the passing of this Act and those elections shall be regarded for all purposes as quinquennial elections.

Alteration of years for making appointments of members of school attendance committees.

4.—The appointments next after the passing of this Act under section 10 of the School Attendance Act, 1926 , shall be made in the year 1973 and shall be regarded as quinquennial appointments.

Provision with respect to certain meetings of vocational education committees.

5.—The meetings next after the passing of this Act under section 14 of the Vocational Education Act, 1930 , shall be regarded as quinquennial meetings.

Short title, collective citations and construction.

6.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Local Elections Act, 1972.

(2)The Local Elections Acts, 1963 to 1966, and this Act may be cited together as the Local Elections Acts, 1963 to 1972, and shall be construed together as one Act.
(3)The collective citation, the Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1972, shall include sections 1 and 2 of this Act.

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AI explanation based on the official legal text. Indicative, not a substitute for legal advice.