Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

-----is the bad guy or the right-wing person or whatever. We all think our perspective is the right one.

In that context, I was very pleased to hear Mr. O'Leary say, although I expected it, that not only is the commission politically blind but media blind. It has to be. While many trusted sources of information may reflect accurate stats, facts or whatever, again, they may only reflect certain viewpoints or address certain issues. Nothing is that straightforward or simple. The fact is the commission will approach it in that way as a totally independent body. I would not expect anything else, but it is important that it is said and that everybody is aware of it so none of us here, or any media organisation today, thinks they are on the right side. It is a fine line.

I have one or two other comments. Electoral process misinformation was talked about, for example, people being told they must write on the ballot paper or that a polling station might have burned down. That is fine but it is very narrow. Will the representatives expand a little on that? That situation might be a little unusual. It might be expected that not much attention would be paid to that.

On unengaged people, I hear what was said about events and meetings. The commission has done some very good work but I will give it a piece of advice that it does not have to take. In my view, when you want to engage people, you go to their meetings rather than set up your own. It is not that you do not set up your own; you do. However, it should not be all about your meetings that people come to. The commission has got to go to the community and the voluntary groups - I see the witnesses nodding their heads - which is very important. We all talk about "on the ground". It is a great phrase. It takes time but it does work.

Here is a crazy suggestion. I only came up with it while I was sitting here, so I know it could not work in the upcoming elections or referendums. In the upcoming referendum, people will have two ballot papers. Some will have difficulty distinguishing between which is which. Might it be possible that we could set up polling stations where somebody would go in and get one ballot paper, being told specifically told that it is for the referendum on care? They would go to the polling both, mark their X and move on to another desk where they would be given the second ballot paper and told this is the referendum on the family. Having been at a number of counts for European and local elections, I have seen a not inconsequential number of times where the ballot paper starts with 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., for the local elections and continue 8, 9, 10, etc., for the European elections. Very often, returning officers are flexible in how they interpret this but, again-----