Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Anger is not a policy and it is not a strategy. Democracy is about argument and discussion and about how we ensure our country goes forward, not about tearing down institutions on which the State is built. I am afraid, dare I say it, given what is going on in the other House, that there is an element of that creeping into society, which is about tearing down institutions. No solutions, no answers, it is about being against everything and tearing down institutions.

I thank Senator Cáit Keane also for her contribution.

This is a great opportunity to discuss the whole issue of the electoral commission and electoral systems. There are few more fundamental issues to our democracy. This is an issue about which I am passionate. I may not have had the chance yet in my current role to be sufficiently passionate about it. I am a student of politics and can list off all the dates of the elections and make-up of the parties and so on. I studied politics and history in University College Cork for many years. I wrote the political history of Tipperary as my thesis which was a good grounding for me. It is a very important area for me because, dare I say it, I have one opportunity, possibly in this role. I am absolutely dedicated to the commitment in the programme for Government. I do not say that here to flatter anyone. I would say that outside here, I would have said it last week but I have not had the chance to express myself totally on this issue. However, I have been incrementally pushing everything along to ensure we get there before I leave my term of office.

I have been criticised in the past for using the word "legacy", so I will not use it again. Certainly, in this sense I want to see change. I cannot disagree with any of the points made here. The situation in regard to the electoral register cannot continue. It is insane. At some point along the line we will have to say we are changing it and making it better. This is not the fault of anyone. There was a time when it was the best available but that is no longer the case. I think there is general agreement across Government, politics and parties that we need to go down this road.

I support the motion wholeheartedly. I am taking inspiration from the motion and the contributions I have heard. I will come back to the contributions later, as regards what I have said, and I will read them because I want to take more from it. It will probably reinvigorate me to a degree in dealing with the issue. I often find that the best debates take place in this House.