Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for being late and missing the presentation. While I welcome all our guests who came to brief us this afternoon, I welcome in particular my neighbour and fellow Roscrea, Tipperaryman, Mr. Killoran. I wish him well in the post he recently took up and wish him every success in it. I know he is very committed and able and will no doubt make a success of the post.

We are talking about the establishment of a proposed electoral commission. We have heard many good suggestions this afternoon. One of the most important aspects of the electoral system is the public’s confidence.

As has been articulated here today, there are numerous faults and failings with the system we have at the moment. When we tamper with it, we need to make sure we maintain or strengthen the confidence of the general public in it. Do the witnesses think the proposed electoral commission will solve many of the issues that have been raised here? Does it represent the way forward? Mr. McGlacken-Byrne spoke about someone turning up at a polling station with his or her passport. It is important that voters know the candidates they are voting for and are familiar with the problems and the issues in the constituency. A person who walks into a polling station in Roscrea from Timbuktu and says, "I have a passport here and I wish to vote here", will not know what effect that will have on the local people, the people of the county and the people of that area. It is not quite as simple as it might seem.

Some of the issues that arose when previous presentations were made at this committee have arisen again today. I refer to the education of the electorate, for example. Somebody said at the last meeting that there were 20,000 spoiled votes in the last election. The opposite point that can be made, on the basis of an average turnout of approximately 70,000, is that it would make a significant difference in a constituency if the 30,000 people who do not turn out to vote were to do so. Would an electoral commission be in a position to inspire confidence among the public that it would solve all of these matters? Do the witnesses think we should have compulsory voting? Do they think everybody should have to vote? What impact would that have? The point I am making, and I would like the witnesses to address, is that confidence in the electoral system, which is fairly high at the moment, needs to be maintained. We need to be credible in what we do. The other general point I would like them to address is the question of whether the proposed electoral commission represents the proper way forward.

I would like to raise one more issue. It might be of particular interest to Mr. Killoran because he deals with it. How can the diaspora be registered to vote? Should they be entitled to vote? I spoke originally about the effect it might have on a constituency if people living away from it were allowed to vote. Would they be aware of what is happening? Would they know what impact their decisions would have on the general public?