Polling Day And Election Spending Orders Signed

Fine Gael have announced the signing of the Local Election Polling Day and Spending Limits orders.

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, has signed the orders:

• Order 1 – appoints Friday, 23 May 2014 as polling day and the hours between 7am and 10pm as the hours of polling at the local elections

• Order 2 – order sets Tuesday, 25 March 2014 as the day from which the spending limits at the local elections apply.

The Minister said: "Spending controls at local elections play an important part in making our democratic process open, transparent and fair. The Government has put legislation in place to reduce the spending limits at the May 2014 local elections by an average of 13%.

"It is important that those involved in politics are subject to cost reductions at a time of economic constraint. Candidates seeking election will also have to comply with new rules on the acceptance of political donations that were introduced in 2012. This includes a reduction in the amount than can be accepted and restrictions on corporate donations."

With the order setting the spending period now signed, election spending incurred between Tuesday 25 March and polling day on Friday 23 May must be included on a declaration made by candidates and political parties within 90 days of polling day.

Compared to the last local elections in 2009, there has been a general reduction in the election spending limits and a consolidation of the population bands used as a basis in setting the limits.

Depending on the population of the local electoral area concerned the spending limit for candidates at the 2014 local elections will be either €13,000, €11,500 or €9,750. In 2009 there was a top limit of €15,000.

Other measures include:

• Election posters –

With arrangements for the 2014 local elections now set, the Minister clarified the time period during which candidates can exhibit election posters. Candidates can only erect posters from 23rd April 2014, which is 30 days before the polling date. There is a requirement for candidates to remove all posters within 7 days of the poll.

• Voter registration –

The Minister also took the opportunity to remind people who are eligible to vote but are not yet registered as electors that they still have time to apply for entry in the supplement to the register of electors to be published before polling day and so be able to vote on 23rd May.

(MH/JP)