The electoral system could be open to voter fraud if the register is not properly updated before the next General Election, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern admitted this evening.
Mr Ahern was answering questions in the Dáil after it emerged yesterday that 17,000 people eligible to vote in the Dublin South-East constituency were not registered and a further 15,000 people who have died or moved from the area were still on the register.
Mr Ahern told TDs that local authority officials and Census enumerators would go door-to-door to update the Register.
"I am afraid it will have to be a Shank's mare exercise, which is the only way we will get a good Register," he said.
"We need to take on that challenge this year. Otherwise, with far too many people on the Register, it is open to voter fraud."
He said there were houses in his own constituency where up to 80 people were registered.
Mr Ahern estimated that there were approximately 30,000 deaths each year and those names should be removed from the register. "Obviously if they are not, and have not been, in a few years it builds up to sizeable numbers," he said.
Mr Ahern said new arrangements to delete the names of deceased persons are now in place. The new system allows for the efficient and timely deletion of the names of deceased persons from the Register.
There is also an on-line register search facility available for people to check if they are on the Register.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte claimed that there could be as many as 800,000 inaccuracies in the 2 million-voter electorate.
"The Taoiseach spent Easter paying homage to the founders of the state. He is now administering a state where we cannot even have the right to vote, although he admits that he provides for the dead generations to vote. How are we supposed to take this seriously?"
Environment Minister Dick Roche should not be blaming local authorities as the responsibility rested with his department, Mr Rabbitte added.
Mr Ahern said the Electoral Acts give powers to Mr Roche who then delegates them to the local authorities.
PA