Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I compliment and commend Deputy Doyle on bringing forward the Electoral (Amendment) (Hours of Polling) Bill and acknowledge his contribution to the Government's commitments in this area, although it has not necessarily done what it said it would do. The previous speaker outlined some minor amendments it has made and pointed to them as huge success. I seek to differ.

We support the Bill. Standardising voting hours for all elections will help encourage easier access to the polls for voters. The Minister of State alluded to the fact that much more needs to be done to engage the electorate. He stated the Government is committed to establishing an independent electoral commission. It should be established to oversee all elections and commit to increasing participation levels.

The cynical broken promises on political reform by the Government have only deepened political disillusionment with the political process. For our part we have published comprehensive proposals to reform the political system from local government up and fundamentally empower citizens. While the proposition on polling hours is commendable, it is only a minor part of what must be a far bigger effort. The 15 hour period is significantly above the European average, but this does not mean it is wrong. It definitely needs to be set in stone. The Bill could go further and set out a standard voting day, such as at the weekend, to encourage greater numbers of younger voters to participate. This could and should be addressed by the Government on Committee Stage, having accepted the Bill this morning. Polling hours go only a small way towards explaining the broader decline in voter participation. Rising political disillusionment was evident not only in the by-election and some of the referendums, but also in the local and European elections in May. This continues to reflect the broader malaise which exists in politics.

The Government must move forward on the establishment of an independent electoral commission, having committed to it and recommitted to it again today, to oversee elections and drive on public engagement. This is not the first time I have heard a Minister of State say the Government is committed to it, but it needs to be backed up with action. In the immediate aftermath of the local and European elections, the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, spoke about this, and now that he is in Cabinet I am sure he will drive it.

The series of broken promises by the Government on the so-called democratic revolution which was promised has further compounded the worrying trends in disengagement. Based on being the constructive opposition we believe ourselves to be, we have tabled comprehensive proposals to seek to ensure politics is revamped from the bottom up, with citizens at the heart of the process. The Government's failings on political reform need to be highlighted in this forum and many others. I will not miss the opportunity on this occasion.

Fine Gael together with Labour promised a democratic revolution, but their record has been disappointing with a series of broken promises. The voters entrusted the Government parties with the task of restoring the political system, as they promised to do, but they have been bitterly disappointed. It has proved a disillusioning experience for them, as borne out in recent elections.

The Government launched a failed power grab in trying to abolish the Seanad and it fatally undermined its own banking inquiry by parachuting Government Members on to it when it did not get the majority it so wished.

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