Fergal Browne (Fine Gael)

I join in congratulating all those who contested the elections. The bravest thing any person can do is put their name on a ballot paper. Those involved deserve our congratulations on taking part in the democratic process. It is encouraging that voter turnout has increased, something which upset the trend in recent elections.

As a person who took part in the election, I learned a great deal about the importance of transfers, an issue we should consider for the future. We should consider advertising or making available information leaflets on the importance of transfers, the advantages of PR voting and the role of local government. There is much ignorance in that regard. The number of deliberately spoiled votes is also an appalling matter. There is an onus on Government to ensure people have such information available to them.

The House should also have a debate on the register of electors. I was appalled to learn that many people who turned up to vote discovered to their horror that they could not do so because their names had been taken off the register and they had not been notified. Voting is a basic right to which everyone is entitled. The current register of electors is totally unsatisfactory. I am not sure what is the solution to this problem but the matter should be debated in the House so we can consider alternative methods of keeping it up to date. We should also ensure everybody who is entitled to vote has the option of doing so.