Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 2nd October, 2012.

I, PHIL HOGAN, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 1 (4) of the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (No. 36 of 2012) hereby order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 (Commencement) Order 2012.

2. Sections 1 , 2 , 27 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 and 44 of the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 shall come into operation on the 27th day of September 2012.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

27 September 2012.

PHIL HOGAN,

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation)

This order brings into operation with immediate effect certain provisions in the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012 . Sections 1 and 2 of the Act contain technical provisions dealing with the short title, collective citations, construction, commencement and definitions. Sections 27, 40 and 41 introduce requirements on registered political parties to furnish an annual statement of accounts to the Standards in Public Office Commission based on guidelines that are to be prepared by the Commission. Sections 42, 43 and 44 provide that a registered political party will face a cut of half of its State funding under Part 3 of the Electoral Act 1997 if it does not have at least 30% women and 30% men candidates at the next general election. Seven years from the general election where this provision first applies, this figure will rise to 40% commencing at the general election held next after that.