Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the contributors for their expertise and the submissions they made in light of the request for a consultation process on this issue. I have no questions per se. I acknowledge and appreciate everything that has been said.

I agree with much of it, especially the first contributor who mentioned the lack of leadership on the part of Government in putting forward a draft commission in order for a consultation process to emanate from it whereby we might be in a position to have an independent commission in place for the next election. The amalgamation of the Department's role with the local authorities and SIPO could have formed the basis for an electoral commission. There was all-party agreement on a report that emanated in 2008. There was a commitment on the part of this Government in 2011 in the programme for Government to do so and, as has been referred to by the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, when she concluded her discussions with the Taoiseach, after each election, especially referendums during the lifetime of the Government. A commitment has been made by members of Government to bring forward an electoral commission prior to the next election. Unfortunately, as with much of what was promised in the form of radical overhaul of the electoral system and the way in which politics is done and how it is led, we have seen nothing except balls of smoke. While I welcome the contributions that have been made, I do not think the type of leadership that was promised is being given by Government in this area. We will all be the worse for it in the context of the next general election. I would hope that the message that might emanate loud and clear from this gathering today is that the Government should take a bold step and make proposals that can be adjudicated on and agreed in order to move forward.