Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

We all take this matter seriously. Deputy Gregory should consider the changes brought into effect since 2002. Section 111 of the Electoral Act 1992 has been updated. There has been a change in the electoral amendment regulations of 2004. We do not regard passports, driving licences or employee identity cards as items which can be overlooked by anyone.

Deputy Gregory raised a fundamental issue when he said the system can be subverted. However, it must be asked if there are difficulties pertaining to the PPS system which he suggests be introduced. Northern Ireland operates a PPS identity system similar to ours. One must register and hold a PPS card. Northern Ireland scrapped its electoral register and produced a new register based on the PPS system, but for very good reasons did not introduce it for voting systems.

We must look at the practicalities of our PPS system. I am not saying that we will not look at other avenues to ensure personation does not take place, but if one introduces the PPS system for voting, one must be able to link in to the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

That leads to the next question. What about the Data Protection Act? This is governed by legislation, and to change that, new legislation would have to be introduced into the Dáil. One would then have to talk to the Data Protection Commissioner to see if one was infringing the rights of individuals. One would also have to seek the advice of the Attorney General on all these matters. I am agreeable to examine some of the issues. I cannot foresee a situation whereby one arrives in a polling station and asks someone for PPS identification. The people asking for that would have to have direct access to the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which is not practical.

At one time, only 5% of voters were asked for identification. We have now increased that figure to 25%. A few weeks ago, during the elections for Údarás na Gaeltachta, Deputy McCormack said that a particular agent was demanding identification from almost every second person. The Deputy complained about the queues and delays, and at the end of the day, the bureaucracy gone mad.

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