Results 6,481-6,500 of 7,604 for speaker:James Bannon

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 May 2004)

James Bannon: Why was there such a mad rush yesterday to push the Electoral (Amendment) Bill through the House?

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 May 2004)

James Bannon: This type of action damages our democracy——

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 9: In page 7, subsection (1), between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following definition: "'source code' means the data which defines the principles or logic governing the operation of a system of electronic voting;". Amendment No. 20 would require the publication of the source code of any electronic voting system, including in the event that a source code is amended,...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 10: In page 7, subsection (1), between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following definition: "'voter-verified paper record' has the meaning assigned to it in section 5;". This amendment proposes to insert a definition of voter verified paper records, as demanded by the Opposition parties. The amendment is connected to my proposal under the new section 5 which would require...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: One gets a receipt in one's bank.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: Senator Kitt referred to my comments on Deputy John Bruton.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: All members of Fine Gael welcome e-voting but we do not welcome a system that is flawed as the proposed system has been proven to be.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: The Minister intended to use the Nedap-Powervote system if the Government got its way. We were told by expert opinion that the system is not safe and is flawed. Does the Minister propose to change the system or to continue with it? Will he abandon the system and the machines? Some say the machines are stored in the Minister's constituency at a cost of €25,000 per annum. In fact, the figure...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: The Nedap-Powervote system is not safe and this was proven by expert opinion. Will the Minister continue to deal with that company?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: If the public demands it, will the Minister ensure the system is modified to produce a paper trail? This is what the public demands. In a recent opinion poll, 70% of respondents wanted a paper trail in the system. The Minister is flying in the face of democracy and what the people want with regard to a safe and secure system.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 12: In page 7, subsection (1), line 7, after "votes" to insert "and which produces a voter-verified paper record,". Amendment put.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 13: In page 7, subsection (1), line 10, after "counting votes" to insert "in a non-random way". The random nature of the manual system of counting votes is one of its drawbacks. The problem was referred to by Senator Brady when speaking to the last amendment. It is difficult to understand why, in adopting a system of electronic voting, the Minister has sought to transfer...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 16: In page 7, before section 5, to insert the following new section: "5. The Electoral Acts shall stand amended so as to give independent candidates seeking election, parity with party-affiliated candidates.". This amendment seeks to insert a new section between lines 23 and 24 on page 7. Members will be aware that this issue has been raised at executive meetings by a...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 18: In page 7, subsection (5), line 46, after "may" to insert "by order". It is important that we issue a reminder that we live in a democracy. As this section would empower the Fianna Fáil director of elections to give instructions to returning officers, in the interest of retaining trust in the system those instructions should be made by way of ministerial order. An...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I agree with Senator Dardis. The electoral register shows letters beside certain names indicating that a person may vote in some elections but not in others. The key to what each letter means is found on the cover of the register. The explanation is often vague and difficult to interpret. I understand how a presiding officer might be confused about a person's voting entitlement. A clearer...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 21: In page 8, line 20, to delete "modifying" and substitute "amending". We touched on this matter when we discussed sections 7 and 15 and a number of Schedules. These sections are designed to effect non-textual amendments. Legislation, like instructions to electoral officials, should not be unreadable or hard to understand. The use of non-textual amendments is...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 28: In page 14, subsection (2), line 43, after "capability of" to insert "producing a paper record of every vote cast, and a capability of". This amendment was discussed with amendment No. 10, on which the House divided. The amendment reiterates the point that voting machines must produce a paper record of every vote cast.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: I move amendment No. 29: In page 15, before section 19, to insert the following new section: "19.—(1) The Commission shall consist of- (i) the same office holders appointed to the Referendum Commission under section 2 of the Referendum Act 1998, and (ii) 2 other persons with knowledge or experience in the field of information technology. (2) The provisions of section 25 shall not apply to...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: In this context it is important to consider the composition of other bodies established in recent years. For example, the Ombudsman sits on the Standards in Public Office Commission, established in 2001, the Referendum Commission, established in 1998 and the Constituency Commission, established in 1997, while the Comptroller and Auditor General sits on two of these bodies. Why was the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (11 May 2004)

James Bannon: Many of us are members of committee and we do not get paid.