Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

It is a matter that should be examined. The last time I raised in the House the issue of Sunday voting, the response was that the churches might be concerned but I am not sure this is the case. Church people have spoken about the need for a good turnout and have encouraged people to perform their civic duty. I would be surprised it there was active opposition on the part of the churches to the idea of Sunday voting which I suggest should be re-examined.

I was surprised to hear the Minister recently holding out the hope that the gadgets bought by his predecessor for an enormous sum of money would ever see use in a polling station. The point has been reached where there needs to be some straight talking on this issue, in particular regarding accountability. The sum of €60 million of taxpayers' money was wasted by the Minister's predecessor on an electronic voting system. The commission established to examine electronic voting concluded the system was not safe or reliable, had not been properly tested and should not be used.

This was not a mistake made in good faith, as mistakes sometimes are. The Minister was told before he committed himself to the expenditure that the two largest Opposition parties had serious reservations about the system and would not support it. Despite this, the Minister proceeded to enter into contracts and commit the State to a large expenditure on something which cannot now be used.

It is remarkable that the Minister whose idea it was in the first place is now in charge of communications and the provision of broadband and the Minister who insisted on going ahead with the purchase in the face of growing opposition and advice is now in charge of running the airports. In most other countries they would both be out of office for committing the taxpayer to such a waste of public funds.

As a consequence, the idea of electronic voting has been dealt a serious and unnecessary blow. None of us who expressed criticisms of the system which was being proposed and introduced by Government were opposed to the idea of electronic voting per se, but the manner in which the Government handled the issue has resulted in a diminution of public confidence in the very idea of electronic voting. It is very difficult to see how the idea of electronic voting can be put back on the agenda and it is impossible to see how this system, which has been seriously discredited, can ever be brought into use. Rather than leave it hanging around with doubt existing as to whether it will be introduced at some stage, the Minister should cut the Government's losses and make a clear statement that this system will not be used. I cannot see how it will gain the level of confidence required for its use.

The provisions of the Electoral Act 1997 relating to electronic voting should be revisited. Those provisions should not be given effect until there is general political agreement on the use of electronic voting. I intend to return to this point on Committee Stage because the Act is wider in its remit than merely giving effect to the findings of the constituency boundaries commission and will allow me table appropriate amendments on this issue without them being ruled out of order.

I agree with Deputy O'Dowd about the Band-Aid which the Minister is now applying to the 1997 Act in respect of the matters which may not be considered as expenditure during the course of an election campaign. Will the Minister consider the consequences of the Kelly judgment? Legislation was promised on foot of it but this has not materialised. If the scenario described by Deputy O'Dowd were to materialise, sitting Members would be disadvantaged in an electoral contest. That was never the intention. I agree with the intention to have a level playing field for all candidates in an election contest but this must stop short of the pretence that a sitting Member is somehow not to be a functioning public representative from the date of the dissolution of the Dáil until the date of the election. This would be the effect of some of the restrictions being proposed. It certainly would not be perceived in that manner by the public. If it were to materialise, it would unwittingly disadvantage sitting Members in respect of Members of the Seanad, for whom a different regime applies, and in respect of members of local authorities or candidates to whom that restriction would not apply.

I look forward to Committee Stage. This Bill will provide an opportunity to discuss the issue of electronic voting. I would like the joint committee to examine the issue of County Leitrim before Committee Stage. The issue of the Dublin county boundaries needs to be examined. With those reservations, the Labour Party will support Second Stage.

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