Mr. Joseph Burke:

The procedure is that when people turn up at a polling station, the presiding officer or poll clerk will ask them their name. There is a system in place whereby we have a random check where we look for identification documents. That is done on a random basis and the requirement is that at least one in every four voters that come in is asked to produced identification. If, in addition to that, poll clerks or presiding officers form a view that the person attending is in any way not likely to be the person whose name is on the register, they can engage in a procedure, which is set out in detail in the manual for presiding officers, whereby they ask the person a series of questions. They can actually ask the person to swear an oath and answer specific questions. There is a quite detailed process in place if there is any suspicion on the part of the staff in the polling station. Staff are well trained in that process and any time there is any suspicion they use their discretion and common sense and follow the procedure. I am not getting any reports of a significant issue with personation in any of the polling places. If there was an issue, it would be something to be concerned about but there is no significant, if any, level of reporting of it.