An Oireachtas Committee will today discuss whether PPS numbers can be used to update the electoral register.

It has heard from witnesses that the absence of a unique identifier is causing problems for those trying to establish who is eligible to vote.

The Environment Committee will also consider whether responsibility for the 31 electoral registers should be transferred to the Electoral Commission.

It is envisaged that the body would bring together the over thirty electoral registers held by local authorities around the country.

The system records who is registered to vote.