Registering Political Parties

The purpose of registering a political party in the Register of Political Parties is that candidates at elections who are members of registered parties may add their parties name to their own names on the ballot paper. If the party that you belong to is not included on the Register, you will be described as a non-party candidate on the ballot paper. The Registrar and the actual Register of Political Parties are based in the Houses of the Oireachtas, Dublin.

Under Section 25 of the Electoral Act, 1992, as substituted by the Electoral Act, 2001, you can apply to the Registrar of Political Parties in order to register your own political party in any of the following elections in Ireland:

  • Dáil elections
  • European elections
  • Local elections
  • Election to Údarás na Gaeltachta

Contact the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties and request an application form. You will receive a copy of the application form, together with with a copy of the relevant extract from the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001. The application form to register your political party is not currently available to download online.

Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, Leinster House, Dublin 2

Tel: +353 (0)1 6184200 or +353 (0)1 6183438

Fax: +353 (0)1 6184102

Homepage: http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/about/publications/registerofpoliticalparties/

Email: clerk@oireachtas.ie

ELECTORAL (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2001

11.-Section 25 of the Principal Act is amended by the substitution of the following sections for section 25:

"25.-(1)

(a) There shall be an office the holder of which shall be known as the ‘Registrar of Political Parties’ and is in this Act referred to as the ‘Registrar’. The Registrar shall, subject to the provisions of this Part, prepare and maintain a Register of Political Parties (in this Part referred to as ‘the Register’).

(b) The person who for the time being holds the office of Clerk of the Dáil shall be the Registrar. If and so long as the office of Clerk of the Dáil is vacant or the holder of that office is unable through illness, absence or other cause to fulfil-the duties of the office, the Clerk-Assistant of the Dáil shall act as the Registrar for the purposes of this Part and references in this Part to the Registrar shall be construed accordingly.

(c) If and so long as the office of Clerk of the Dáil and the office of Clerk-Assistant of the Dáil are vacant or the holders of those offices are unable through illness, absence or other cause to fulfil their duties, the Chairman of the Dáil may appoint a member of the Joint Staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas to act as the Registrar for the purposes of this Part and references in this Part to the Registrar shall be construed accordingly.

(2) (a) A political party may apply to the Registrar to be registered in the Register as a party organised in the State or in a part thereof specified in the application to contest all or any of the following elections-

(i) a Dáil election,

(ii) a European election,

(iii) a local election,

(iv) an election to Údarás na Gaeltachta.

(b) An application for registration under this subsection shall be in writing in such form as shall be specified by the Registrar and shall contain such particulars as shall be specified in the form.