Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 3, before section 1, to insert the following new section:

"1.—In this Act, save where the context otherwise requires—

'Act of 1992' means Electoral Act 1992

'Act of 1997' means European Parliament Elections Act 1997

'Minister' means Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government',".

Both amendments Nos. 1 and 5, in my name and in the name of Senator Bannon, seek to achieve something novel in Irish electoral law. I would be interested to hear the comments of the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gallagher, on this matter. Every time the people go to vote at local, European, general or any other elections the ballot paper is presented in alphabet form, from A to Z. Candidates at the top of the ballot are listed under A, B, C, D, E, F, G, etc, and candidates at the bottom are listed accordingly.

We should look at this issue. There is considerable international and domestic evidence to show there is an advantage for candidates at the top of the ballot. Some people just mark 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc, along the line. There would be merit in changing that, in the context of this European election, to see if we could introduce a system that is fairer to all candidates where voters would have to look at all the names. The advantage here is that for the first time ever in a European elections Bill, the name, picture and party affiliation will be attached. That was not the case before 2002.

There is no reason that we should continue to go for the alphabet format, which we have relied on for so many years. The evidence as regards those elected to the Dáil is that there is a considerable advantage for people whose surnames begin with the letters B, C and D. The Minister of State, on Second Stage, referred to a situation in the first European election he fought where there were three people with his surname on the ballot. That can lead to considerable confusion. Mixing the names up and having a random selection would ensure greater concentration of the voter on the process of for whom he or she will vote.

Amendments Nos. 1 and 5 introduce a new section which would allow for this random process. The suggestion in amendment No. 5 is that when the returning office finds out the names of all the candidates, he or she will call in their agents or themselves and select from a hat or whatever where they should appear on the ballot. The implied advantage that currently exists would cease as a result. I am interested to hear the Minister of State's views on this issue. Given that it will apply only to European elections, we should implement it on a trial basis.