Fiach MacConghail (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, to the Seanad. I thank my colleagues across all parties and none on the excellent debate. In a way, it is very simple. We need to modernise our electoral system. We need to drive up electoral turnout. We need to play a proactive role in encouraging voters and in providing education and research. We need to manage voter registration in a way that is technologically efficient and that is quick and easy. We need to make voting as easy as possible for citizens. That is essentially what all of us in this Chamber this evening have agreed upon. The only way to deliver all of those things is through an independent electoral commission. We are all in agreement on that point. I welcome the cross-party support for the motion, which is about increasing trust and participation in our democracy. Both together will create a healthier, more open and engaged citizenship, which is also engaged between elections.

I agree with Senator Bacik that complex issues arise in terms of the establishment of an electoral commission. The point is made in the 2008 paper from the Department. There is no easy solution. Substantial legislative scrutiny and debate and a Bill coming before the House are required to deal with it. I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government and I look forward to receiving the paper when it has been considered by the Cabinet in January. I very much look forward to the committee being involved in further evidence-based consultation on the paper.

I accept the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, has not spoken yet, but it was refreshing to hear the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, speak so honestly and frankly about the slow pace of reform. It is a good start, even if it is three years late. I am encouraged by that and the fact that he saw no difficulty with the motion, agreed with it and showed his own knowledge, interest and ownership over it. I hope he will feel the invigoration in the Seanad this evening. I wish the Minister well. We will give him all the support we can in terms of delivering on elemental political reform. If I understood correctly, if the heads of the Bill are published by early summer and if the Bill is discussed and goes through the Houses in the autumn, it will be ready for the next general election.