Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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This is a good amendment providing for a revised format of the ballot paper. There is some confusion surrounding the ballot paper where political party emblems currently appear on the left-hand side of it. Anything that improves the integrity of the electoral system is well worthwhile. Is it the intention that this revised format would apply in all elections, namely, in general elections and local authority elections, in other words, in elections to the Dáil, Seanad and local authorities?

A major issue related to electoral reform is emerging. Some 60,000 plus people came on to the register in the run-up to the marriage equality referendum. That indicates that 60,000 people, mainly young people we would assume, were not registered. It is estimated there could be a further 300,000 people who are not registered and only three months or so remain before we will have a general election. The only means for many people to get their names on the register will be by way of a supplemental register and there is a confined period within so many days of an election that this can be done. There is a cut-off point within 18 days of the election. There is a short window of opportunity for people register to vote in that way. I ask the Minister of State to consider bringing forward enabling legislation to allow people to have their names added to the register of electors, and thereby retain the integrity of it.

At present, people must go to a Garda station in order to have a form for inclusion on the supplementary register completed. The form is a bit more detailed and complicated than the ordinary registration form. Local authorities could be allowed to accept forms once the applicants produce photographic identification, such as a driver's licence, an ID card, a passport or social welfare card. It is probably a safer system than any other system. If we could allow this to happen, it would help register some of those people who are not going to be on the register of electors for the general election. I make that suggestion to the Minister of State today. The change to the ballot paper is a move in the right direction.