Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I am glad to speak during this debate. It was timely that it was put down. It allows us free rein to discuss a cause dear to our hearts. There is no doubt the registers are in an unholy mess. It is a cumulative mess, which continued from the last general election to the local elections to now. It did not arise today or yesterday.

I am sure all of the talk about fraud and personation is a smokescreen. The IRA told us it is done with criminality, which has been attested to. Criminality surely includes personation. I believe the greatest want in this matter is of those who want to vote and are not on the register. That is the greatest wrong done to a citizen. It is all very well to state citizens have a right to register. Local authorities have the mandatory obligation to keep the registers in order and in shape. I am glad to see the Minister will give them special ring-fenced moneys. I hope he announces the amount he will give them soon because local authorities have a degree of scepticism as to whether the money is coming.

I agree with Senator Cummins on the hours during which visits should be made, but I would say between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m rather than 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Those are the three hours in which people are in their homes. Everybody works, thanks be to the Lord and the good Government, and it takes time for them to get home.

I previously told the Seanad of my personal experience but I will relate it again. I went into an area of 548 houses in Rochfortbridge.