Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said, the Government is not opposing this Bill. We support the principle of advancing the needs of voters with disabilities of one type of another. In my earlier contribution, I outlined some of the main measures that had been taken over the years to assist voting by people with disabilities. I think all sides of the House have been, and continue to be, well disposed to doing whatever is feasible to advance this agenda. While the range of measures we have in place is commendable, there is always room for improvement and I want to acknowledge that also.

The National Disability Authority in June 2014, in the trials that it had undertaken and that were reported on by the authority in January 2015, has been very helpful. Its report identifies options for consideration and some of the challenges that will need to be addressed in the advancement of independent voting. The Department has taken up the recommendations in the National Disability Authority's report in regard to the use of tactile voting devices at referendums and is currently examining the scope for their use. As I said earlier, the workability of the proposal in the Bill to provide for electronically-assisted voting will also require detailed examination in due course. In our examination of these proposals, we should always keep in mind the integrity of the ballot, and I believe Deputies will agree with that.

Some questions were asked about the establishment of an electoral commission. Its establishment is a commitment in the programme for Government. It was also a recommendation of the fourth report of the Constitutional Convention. The Government accepted the recommendation of the convention and the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government published a consultation paper on 27 January 2015 to commence the pre-legislative process leading to the establishment of the commission.

I thank Deputy Keaveney for the work he has put into the Bill. We are not opposing it on Second Stage. It is something we need to evaluate continuously to see how we can improve access for voters who have a right and a franchise to vote in elections and referendums.

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