Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

Amendments Nos. 1 and 4 are an attempt by the Labour Party and Senator Quinn to introduce a commencement order after the independent commission has reported. This is a good idea. When I heard the Bill was being taken in the House, after the commission had given the thumbs down to the electronic voting proposals as currently constituted, I was in a state of disbelief as to why the Government was proceeding with the legislation. I now understand that for the commission to produce its full report and to be put on a statutory footing, legislation is required. It does not require any of the sections relating to the procedures involving electronic voting. The Government would have been well advised to amend the Bill by scrapping all the sections dealing with electronic voting until such time as the independent commission had given its approval to the procedure as outlined.

I commend amendments Nos. 1 and 4 to the House. In opposing these amendments the Government is asking the House to give it a carte blanche and the right to introduce these sections at any time in the future, independent of the advice from the commission. That is bad politics.

While I accept the need for the statutory commission, I do not accept the need for any other sections in the Bill dealing with the introduction of e-voting where there is currently no mandate for it. Other amendments deal with the cross-party support and the need for consultation. Amendments Nos. 1 and 4 deal with the commencement order. It is very bad legislative practice for the House to hand over to the Government a complete carte blanche in this area where the independent commission has failed to give its approval to the system.