Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

Okay, thanks. I will move to the review of the Electoral Act 1997. I notice that the language being used around it has changed a little. It was referred to as an immediate priority for the commission and the published research programme states it will commission a review. Will Mr. Ryan give us a timeline for the review of the Electoral Act 1997? Will spending limits be considered? I suppose everything will be considered as part of the review. I have always found that while it is better to have spending limits, I do not think anyone reaches those limits. They do not have much of an effect on controlling spending. In fact, if some candidates in the larger constituencies were using the full spending limit, it could have an impact. Those limits seem high to me. Are those things going to be looked at or reviewed? Most candidates do not come anywhere near the spending limits so it seems a relatively ineffectual proposal. Perhaps our guests would answer that point.

The research programme is in general very good and well laid out. Can our guests give us an idea of the timelines? Is it too early to do so? How long will it take to get much of what is in the draft done? Perhaps our guests could give us an idea in that regard.