The Government was advised late last week that dispatching census enumerators back into the field to help compile an accurate electoral register could be fraught with difficulty, it has emerged.
The secretary general of the Department of the Environment met the director general of the Central Statistics Office to discuss the potential use of the 4,500 census enumerators once the population count is completed.
However, a number of legal and industrial relations issues have been identified which could scupper such a possibility.
Under the Electoral Act, the 34 local authorities are responsible for preparing and publishing the register of electors. As a result, legislative change may be necessary in order to use other staff. Also, use of staff other than those used or contracted by local authorities could lead to industrial relations problems.
A more likely scenario is that the Government could provide additional resources to local authorities to embark on a fresh drive to ensure the register is accurate, or seek to verify records using third-party information such as Personal Public Service numbers.
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche is expected to make an announcement in the Dáil this week on the Government's plans. Officials say he will provide details during a debate on a Labour Party private member's bill which aims to revamp the manner in which the electoral register is compiled and maintained.
A spokesman for Mr Roche said: "Officials in the department are discussing a number of different approaches, but it is too early at this stage to comment on which one will be used. The Minister will be commenting further on this in the Dáil later in the week." Estimates of the scale of inaccuracy on the register vary from between 300,000 and 860,000 incorrect names.
The Labour Party's environment spokesman, Eamon Gilmore, said the current system was a "shambles" and needed major reform.
