Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise on the Adjournment the need to take steps immediately to ensure that those added to the register of electors in the run-up to the next election, whatever that may be, are full-time residents at the stated address. I ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to consider the use of PPS numbers along with a proof of address as the minimum requirement.

On 16 June I received an answer to a parliamentary question regarding the number of people added to the electoral register on a county-by-county basis leading up to the local and European Parliament elections. The Minister admitted that 72,000 names were allowed nationally. I appreciate that the law allows this but I believe that not enough time is allowed between the closing date and the need for publication. The additional lists are made available to candidates to allow them to canvass. It was at this point that some of my party's candidates and workers raised some questions with me regarding difficulties in finding some of these new voters at their addresses. I wish to make it clear I have never made any statement on this issue other than to answer media questions based on my original parliamentary question.

The staff of Monaghan County Council do a good job, adhere to all the regulations and are above reproach. I am sure that the same goes for all other local authority personnel. My only interest in this issue is that proper structures be put in place for the future to allow everyone who has the right to vote, from whatever background or country, is ensured of having a vote but that no one else is. It is very annoying for people who have lived in the country all their lives and were previously on the electoral register to find on arrival at the polling booth that they cannot vote because their names are not on the register. Nor is it acceptable that people can vote because they have been added to the register inappropriately.

The programme for Government promised the introduction of an electoral commission to run elections and compile registers. Fine Gael agrees with this in principle, but allowing the council staff to use PPS numbers and proper proof of address would suffice. There is no point in change for the sake of change.

From personal experience I know how every vote is important. I won a seat in the 2002 general election by one vote in every box in County Monaghan. Fianna Fáil lost a local authority seat in west Cavan in the recent local elections by only one or three votes, depending on which count we consider. Many comments and much media coverage have been generated by this election in County Monaghan. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, cannot ignore the general anxiety on all sides of the political divide. I want to ensure the Minister and others that I want to encourage all newcomers from eastern Europe or elsewhere to take part in our political and electoral systems. The Minister's party gained a town council seat in Carrickmacross by nominating a non-Irish national to the Green Party ticket and that gain was against the national trend.

We have debated the electoral register in the House on many occasions. Students are often registered at the address where they live when attending college and also registered at home. The same applies to some people working away from home. The PPS number should address this issue. If I telephone a social welfare office in Dublin, Sligo or elsewhere and give a PPS number the official can confirm the information I want. If I telephone the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and give a herd number, the official can advise me on the herd status or payment, or where each animal tag number should be. In 2009 we should be able to trace our voters to ensure that all those and only those entitled to vote can do so by right and by law.

This issue has caused considerable discussion and reaction. It is important to come up with a foolproof system that guarantees the right to vote, but only for those residing in this country.

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