Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The first speech I made on this issue was in April and at that stage, I asked people to make submissions. A great variety of ideas came from those at the conference regarding how we might best take this forward, and it has taken us a long time to agree terms of reference regarded as workable by all the relevant organisations on the basis of their submissions.

I agree with the Deputy that voting is a key part of social involvement and participation. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, is moving ahead with a separate initiative, but a more pressing and important issue is to work on the present register, which I regard as containing an unacceptable number of errors. I encounter these issues in my area but I do not have knowledge of matters outside it. People who have moved from apartments and flats in the inner city remain on the register, while those who live there are not on it. Dublin Corporation and others must make a great effort in this regard. The position may be perfect elsewhere, but not where I am.

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