If you want to make your voice heard in the next General Election you must be on the Register of Electors. It is a very easy process and if you have reached the age of 18 since the last election, recently moved to Ireland or have never been on the Register, now is the time to take action.

Next year’s Register of Electors is now being compiled and application forms are available at the public libraries, post offices and County Council offices. If you want to register on line go to www.oasis.gov.ie and search for Register of Electors.

Applications for inclusion on the Electoral Register must be completed by 25 November 2006. You must be at least 18 years old on the day the Register comes into force (15 February 2007) and have been ordinarily resident in the State on 1 September in the year preceding the coming into force of the Register. After the Electoral Register comes into force it is still possible to register (see website).

While every resident is entitled to be registered, not everyone can vote at all elections. Irish residents can vote at every election; British citizens at Dail, European and local elections; EU citizens (other than British) may vote at European and local elections; Non-EU citizens may vote at local elections.

The compiling of electoral registers has not kept up with housing development and changes in where people work and live. Since the last General Election there are 300,000 new houses in the country and a big increase in private renting.