Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I hope the Government is in its final days. Certainly, the 29th Dáil is in its final days. This democracy is not served by prolonging its life. It appears that the Government has an agenda. Whatever it is, it is not in the people's interests or those of the country. It is the Government's own partisan interests to prolong the life of this Dáil to get as much out of it as possible and string it out until the last possible day. Everybody knows that it is coming to a conclusion. There are nine or ten sitting days remaining, even if the Dáil lasts the full duration, when one factors in St. Patrick's Day and Easter. The legislative programme with which the House can deal is minuscule; it amounts to a tidying up operation. The work the committees of the House can do is limited. No committee can seriously programme any significant work, adopt long-term objectives, engage in new projects or investigations, or place new issues on its work programme or agenda.

For some time the focus of Members and members of the Government has been on the impending general election. The posters are printed, the election literature is ready and Members and candidates are already out knocking on doors and engaging in campaign activity. The election campaign has been under way for some time. It would, therefore, serve the country better if the general election was called as soon as possible.

I say the following to the Minister. Let us get the Bill enacted because it is required before the general election can be called. As soon as it is enacted, let the Taoiseach go to the President to request a dissolution of the 29th Dáil and let the general election take place without further ado. After that, of course, it is a decision for the people as to whom they want to return to the House for the 30th Dáil and what shape of Government they want thereafter.

The presentation of the Bill gives us an opportunity to discuss a number of issues of electoral business that are not complete. I regret that the Government has failed to allow time in the House for a debate on the report of the commission on electronic voting. When the Government ran into trouble, the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Cullen, when it became apparent that the Government could not foist the electronic voting system that it had purchased on the people and the electoral system, set up with the agreement of the House the commission on electronic voting which reported to the House, not the Government, last July. I have repeatedly asked the Taoiseach on the Order of Business, including this week, to provide time for a debate on that report and every possible excuse has been used by him. He has stated the matter is with the Whips who can agree if we find time. This week the indications were that we might not be able to find an opportunity to do so in the time remaining in the 29th Dáil. Let it be clearly understood that the report of the commission is not being debated because the Government does not want it to be debated in the House.

See this speech in context