Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the detailed and comprehensive report that has been given to the House by the Clerk of the Dáil. He has gone into considerable depth in exploring the cases referred to him and to setting the overall context of voting practices in this House. Taken together with the balanced and reflective article written by the former Clerk of the Dáil, Mr. Kieran Coughlan in today's edition of The Irish Times, there is now more than enough information available for us to address this issue, if that is, in fact, the intention of the House.

At the outset it is important to say that serious issues of public concern have been raised and must legitimately be addressed. I want to acknowledge the work of those who brought this matter to public attention. If we put aside for one moment the behaviour, motivation and record of many here who clearly have no interest in dealing with this matter with any balance, there are three broad issues involved. These involve general practices here during voting, a specific incident involving a division here last week and what changes we need to make. I will fully address each of these but before I proceed, I must say that in this debate so far, the bulk of time has been utilised by parties making very direct, partisan comments.

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