The Electoral Commission
What is the Electoral Commission?
The Electoral Commission (An Coimisiún Toghcháin) is the new independent statutory body that oversees elections in Ireland.
It has replaced the Referendum Commission and manages the Register of Political Parties. It will also have important functions regarding political advertising.
The Electoral Commission was established on 9 February 2023. The Electoral Reform Act 2022 has been signed into law, and this Act governs the make-up and functions of the Commission.
Functions of the Electoral Commission
The functions of the Electoral Commission are set out in the Electoral Reform Act 2022, and include:
- Informing the public about referendums
- Reviewing constituencies and constituency boundaries for general, European and local elections
- Telling the public about how to vote and encouraging people to vote in referendums and elections
- Maintaining the Register of Political Parties
- Overseeing the management of Registers of Electors by local authorities
- Regulating online political advertising
Electoral Commission constituency review 2023
On 30 August 2023, the Electoral Commission published its review of Ireland's electoral constituencies.
The report recommends that:
- The number of TDs in Dáil Eireann is increased to 174 (from 160)
- The number of Dáil constituencies is increased to 43 (from 39)
The Oireachtas will consider the full report and its recommendations (pdf). If the Oireachtas accepts the changes, they will be passed into law and come into effect before the next general election.
Further information
You can read more about the Electoral Commission on its website.