Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I have. We will all know about our running mates when the election is over, including the Minister of State.

I support the Bill brought forward by my colleague. Anything we can do to encourage voter participation and to include the public in the whole democratic process should be done. What is most likely to encourage voter participation is for the political establishment to be honest and fair with the electorate. If it makes promises, it should keep them. Nothing disenchants young people, in particular, as much as a firm undertaking given at election time being completely ignored thereafter. The Government needs to be careful about the number of young people who will have their say at the forthcoming general election. Regardless of what day of the week the election is held, those people will remember the things the Government has ignored since the 2002 general election. They will also remember the electronic voting machines and the fact they are paying for their storage.

The Minister of State said we were interested in voting when we had no money in our pockets. I am not so sure about that.

See this speech in context