Colm Keaveney (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, for indicating that the Government would not oppose the Bill on Second Stage. In respect of his concerns about Part 3 of the Bill, I believe adequate provisions are made to protect the integrity and secrecy of the ballot. I am sure we will mutually see the benefits of that integrity on Second Stage.

The guiding principle of the Bill is that a person with a visual impairment, or who is illiterate, may vote in a manner similar to any other person without being disadvantaged by the inequality born out of their disability. Part of this is that they should enjoy the privacy and secrecy of the ballot along with every other citizen. We have proposed the use of a technology to facilitate this. It cannot be beyond the scope of human genius to create a printed font that resembles the mark of a pencil, to make the ballot paper indistinguishable from any other ballot. As to the cost of the challenge, the Bill does not propose to make electronically assisted voting machines mandatory. The Bill as drafted would allow for the kind of careful roll-out that the Minister of State discussed and, as practicably as possible, would ensure that integrity is built into its measures.

I thank Deputy Stanley for his helpful contributions. While it is not covered in the Bill, I agree that polling stations do not adequately provide for persons who use wheelchairs. I recently witnessed the experiences of a number of people who had access disabilities when voting in the referendum. The reason for restricting tactile ballots to referendums and Presidential elections has to do with the complexity of extending them to other elections, given the variety of ballot papers that can be used. We should look at this in the future, as Deputy Stanley has said. I would be happy to discuss with Deputy Stanley, or with the Minister of State, any improving amendments within the spirit of the Bill.

I acknowledge the dedication and commitment of the working group, some of whose members have visual impairments. Its members have shared their concerns around literacy and have helped bring the Bill into the Chamber today. The issue is of cross-party concern and I hope we will continue in this focused spirit on the remaining Stages of the Bill. We should all work together in the interests of those who are listening and watching today, and who hope they have an equal right to exhaust their mandate in secrecy and independently. We should ensure that any advantage given to able-bodied people is, irrespective of the cost, but within reason, afforded to people who have disabilities or are illiterate. I commend the Bill to the House.

See this speech in context