Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is welcome to the House, particularly in respect of this problem. My attention was drawn to this matter by Mr. Robbie Sinnott, who is in the Visitors' Gallery. He is visually impaired.

The Taoiseach has declared his intention to respond to the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad by introducing minimal reform of the university seats prior to the next election. Graduates of third level institutions will be entitled to vote for six Senators if the planned Seanad electoral (university members) (amendment) Bill is enacted prior to the next election. However, graduates who suffer from impaired vision are only able to vote by asking someone else to vote for them, as the Constitution decrees that elections for these Seanad seats must be by postal vote. Therefore, a blind person must disclose his or her intention to a third party and rely on the third party to vote as requested. This is contrary to Article 18.5° of the Constitution, which guarantees a secret ballot. How can the dilemma be solved? The answer can be found in modern technology. The Constitution declares that the Seanad election must be a postal ballot, but that could include e-mail. I understand that most graduates, even those who are visually impaired, are capable of using e-mail, and I urge the Minister of State to explore this solution.

Some 53,000 people have extreme visual impairment severe in Ireland. I do not know how many third-level graduates are included in that figure, but the proposed Seanad electoral (university members) (amendment) Bill could be an early first step towards a solution to a challenge that will face the State in later years if we are to be a society that treats all the citizens equally. I urge the Government to consider the problems that this entails.