Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Independent Senators for tabling this motion which the Fianna Fáil Party supports. Establishing an electoral commission was a key part of the programme for Government and the pre-election promises of both Government parties. The Constitutional Convention further advocated the need for an independent commission and as part of the broader need for political reform an independent commission can play an important role in overseeing fully functional free and fair elections. Establishing a new commission will bring Ireland into line with best international practice. Research published by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance based in Sweden shows how increasingly out of step Ireland is in not having an independent commission. Of the 156 countries they examined, Ireland is one of only 32 countries in which elections are still managed by government.

Let me give some background information. The establishment of an independent electoral commission was part of the programme for Government under the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Administration. In 2008 it commissioned a detailed report that examined these issues and a considerable amount of additional work was done in the Department on foot of this report, although I understand that details are not in the public domain. The Minister may have some updated information on the follow on of the Sinnott report. In short, we would argue that much of the ground work necessary to establish an Irish electoral commission has been completed, all that is lacking is the political will to take the necessary action. Some of the issues they could look at would be proactively managing the process of modernising the electoral register. Since the abolition of domestic rates back in 1977, and with the rather sad decline in the active membership of the main political parties, who monitored on an ongoing basis the comings and goings in their various cumann or branch areas.