Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State and the Department for the work in bringing forward the legislation. The issue raised by the amendments proposed by the Labour Party Senators is one that we discussed at the committee. We have discussed many matters about our electoral activities but I will try to confine my comments to the Bill and come back to the Minister of State on other issues, such as the integrity of our democracy, the ballot paper and the votes that are being cast, which is critically important. There are some grave concerns about that, which we discussed at a recent meeting of the joint committee.

Considering the climate that we are living in and the visible levels of aggression and attacks, whether on social media or in real life, on public figures of all descriptions, we have a responsibility, in arranging and conducting elections, not only to protect the individuals contesting who are brave enough to put themselves forward but also the integrity and security of the democratic process. This is a real point of concern. It is not imagined, contrived or in any way fabricated. It is a real concern. Public representatives at all levels in our democracy are under daily threat. That is unacceptable. It is a matter for the Department of Justice, and for the police force to prosecute. It is a matter for the Department to take reasonable and responsible steps to protect the safety of those who live in our democracy and to ensure they are not unnecessarily exposed to risk. Sadly, that is the current situation. I hope that, in his work with the Department, the Minister of State can take steps to address that security issue before the next local, European and Dáil elections.