Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support Senator Browne and my other colleagues who called for a debate and, I hope, some progress on the electoral registration process. I have raised on a number of occasions my disappointment that at national level the Oireachtas and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government have made no effort to promote local elections and encourage people to vote. It is more than five years since we were given a solemn commitment by the then Minister in the aftermath of the low turnout in 1999 that steps would be taken to encourage a higher turnout. We are now sleep walking towards a situation where perhaps less than 50% of people will vote in a national election, which is bad for democracy. It may be too late to address the problem for 11 June but we need to have a serious debate on how to encourage people to vote and use whatever means possible to increase turnout during election time.

On a lighter note, colleagues are quite distressed about the possible increase in the price of drink. A Chathaoirleach, I wonder should you call for a price freeze in the Dáil bar?