Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Amendment No. 26 seeks to have responsibility placed on the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in co-ordination with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, to ensure that it is the responsibility of the Prison Service to ensure that registration forms and ballots are available to people in prisons. I am concerned that if responsibility for the provision of ballot papers and the process is not tied down, there may be a void between these agencies. There could be a metaphorical scratching of heads, looking at one another and wondering who is actually responsible for making this happen.

I am disappointed the Minister does not intend to address amendment No. 9 which seeks to ensure that if prisoners were not in a position to prove their previous ordinary residence to the satisfaction of the registration authority, they would not have the right to vote. Many people in prisons come from a homeless background or from a background where they were moving from house to house and simply did not have what would be considered a permanent residential address. I am concerned that such people are not catered for in the Bill. They would stand to lose their franchise — their right to vote — on foot of their previous circumstances. It is most unfortunate the Bill does not deal with this serious issue, which applies to a considerable percentage of the prison population.

I ask the Minister to consider amendment No. 9. While it was suggested it was not discussed or dealt with on Committee Stage, I contend otherwise. However, I will not labour the matter as it is not properly before the House.

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