David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and I welcome the fact that the commission is to be established shortly. People read from left to right, and the Minister mentioned the idea of blanking out the space or putting some sort of independent logo on the ballot paper. In the left hand column of the ballot paper, the party logos are displayed beside the party candidates, while the space beside the independent candidates is blank and I have observed over many elections that people vote in the column on the left. They start off by giving their No. 1 vote to an independent candidate and then keep going in that column. Thus, candidates who are affiliated to a party are at a disadvantage. It would be very simple to rectify this in the by-election and from then on. I have seen hundreds of ballot papers marked in this way. Party members are immediately disadvantaged, given that people read from left to right. It is a very simple matter. I was amazed, and I raised it after the local elections when I first noticed it. Hundreds of ballot papers were marked in that way. I would be interested in the Minister's response.

See this speech in context