Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

I thank Deputies Cowley and Harkin for facilitating me. Many issues arise out of this Bill and I would like to address briefly the issues of the register of electors, voter turnout, polling days, electronic voting and the storage of electronic voting machines, the increase in the number of three-seat constituencies, the decrease in the number of five-seat constituencies and the diminution of proportionality that the recommendations of the constituency boundary commission will bring about.

In my experience over recent years, the register of electors has not been compiled in the fashion that it was previously. A significant number of people are not on the register and many are on the register who have either died or changed address. Since the specific duty of revenue collectors has been changed, the formulation of the register has suffered. There needs to be a specifically designated officer, whether it is a revenue collector, new officer in a local authority or someone like a postperson, with responsibility for ensuring that the register of electors is up to date. Compiling the register is not an easy job, especially in built-up urban areas where people change address frequently, there is a high proportion of rented accommodation and house sales, and new housing estates and buildings are constructed. It is a job that needs a specifically designated officer to carry it out and he or she should be paid properly to ensure the job is done properly. Many national and local public representatives are concerned by the inaccuracies in the register.

On the issue of polling day and voter turnout, we have all witnessed the decline in voter turnout in recent years, especially in European elections and referendums. The turnout recently has been considerably down on what it was a number of years ago. Part of the difficulty relates to students and employment. Everyone seems to be employed now, for example, husband and wife or both partners in a relationship, and it can be difficult to ensure that one votes on a working day. I strongly suggest that the change to Fridays has been unsuccessful, in particular for students. Serious consideration should be given to moving voting to Sundays, which would give everyone an opportunity. No one would have a reasonable excuse not to vote on a Sunday.

I have said from day one that there is no necessity for electronic voting. Even the proper use of State money concerning this issue is a waste as electronic voting is not necessary for the working of the electoral, proportional representation and democratic systems. Good use could be made of this money in other areas, including our health, educational and other services. Electronic voting should be set aside. No undue difficulty exists with the current manual system. I strongly object to the information that has come into the public domain recently whereby electoral officials, returning officers or their relatives have contracts to store electronic voting machines that have never been used and will never be used. This is a serious situation that should not be allowed to continue. Where it has happened, the Department should raise it with the individuals concerned and stop it immediately. Serious questions would be asked if a Deputy or a close relation of a Member of the House were involved in activity of this nature. This situation does not help our democratic system or make for transparency or good governance.

The Bill is fundamentally flawed due to the commission's terms of reference. My basic concern is the increase in the number of three-seat constituencies and the proposed division of County Leitrim between so-called "Sligo-North Leitrim" and "Roscommon-South Leitrim". The recommendations in the Constituency Commission's report, which would be implemented were this Bill passed, take us further down the road of diluting proportionality in the electoral system. This is not in the interests of diversity, democracy or individual electors. What is obvious from the report is that, for the third consecutive commission, we have a situation wherein the number of five-seat constituencies has been cut and the number of three-seat constituencies significantly increased. This is not good for proportional representation.

I will refer to and thank the "Save Leitrim" campaign for information on this subject, a subject that affected me in 1997. The campaign's information shows that, in general elections from 1987 on and taking the 1997 and 2002 elections as examples, a significant number of individuals, be they independents or from political parties, received in excess of 20% of the vote in three seat constituencies but were not elected. For instance, I got 21.6% of the vote in my constituency in 1997 but was not elected. Former Deputy, Mr. Paddy Harte, got 21.8% in Donegal North East. Deputy Martin Ferris in Kerry North got 20.4%. Former Deputy, Mr. Tom Berkery, got 21.6% in Tipperary North. In the 2002 election, Mr. Dessie Ellis in Dublin North West got 21.4% of the vote. Former Deputy, Mr. Dick Spring, got 23.9% in Kerry North. Former Deputy, Mr. Alan Dukes, got 23.9% in Kildare South. Senator Noel Coonan in Tipperary North got 23%.

If we had been running in any contiguous constituency of more than three seats and received similar percentages, we would have been elected on the first count because we would have won more votes than the Deputies elected therein. In all these examples, a substantial section of the electorate could feel justifiably annoyed that their chosen candidates were not elected. Understanding how the system can be fair in such circumstances is difficult. The full benefits of the PR system are not being spread fairly throughout the electorate. The situation of candidates not being elected on more than 20% of the overall vote whereas they would have been elected on the first count in four or five seat constituencies does not add up and is unfair.

The commission's terms of reference must be significantly changed. The reduction in the number of five-seat constituencies dilutes the proportionality our system has always had. The increase in the number of three-seat constituencies does not help democracy or the PR system. Six-seat constituencies should be included in the terms of reference. That they exclude anything other than three to five-seat constituencies dilutes the proportionality of our system. The number of five and six-seat constituencies should be increased to ensure proportionality and fairness are facts rather than fictions.

The breaching of county boundaries must be avoided at all costs. That a county such as Leitrim will almost certainly no longer be in a position to elect a county man or woman to Dáil Éireann is not good for democracy, Leitrim or this House. The terms of reference of the commission must be strengthened to ensure county boundaries are not be breached in this way. In my constituency the county boundary is breached but at least the other term of reference of the commission, the natural boundary, is adhered to. On the southern side of my constituency, the strip of Waterford that is in Tipperary South is contiguous to the town of Clonmel and that town is the nearest centre for shopping and work. At least in that instance the commission's approach is understandable. Splitting a county, particularly a county such as Leitrim, in two should not be accepted. I would like substantive amendments to be made to this Bill before it is passed, particularly in regard to county boundaries, the terms of reference of a future commission, electronic voting, the day of voting and the preparation of the register of electors.

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