Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not want to be political but I have questions for Senator MacSharry who unfortunately is not here to answer them. The previous Government published a report in 2007-8 and nothing was done about it. Senator MacSharry was a bit harsh and hard on the Minister who is trying his utmost. He is a doer. He will ensure an electoral commission is established as soon as reasonably possible.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht recommended that it be set up in 2010. I was not here at the time but there are other Members who were. It is necessary. Senator Landy mentioned a man in his 90s who has never missed a vote but did not have one in the last election. In my experience over many years, the keeping of the electoral register has been less than adequate and sufficient. I know people who have been on the electoral register for 50 years who boast that they have never used their democratic right to vote. Should those people, who do not feel a duty to vote, be allowed to stay on any register? We must take on that obligation.

My understanding is that if people in Australia and New Zealand do not vote in two successive elections, they are eliminated from the register. I am aware of people who left to live in England and the United States, and who now have teenage children, and are still on our registers. Should we stipulate that those on the register have a personal public service, PPS, number, or a pay related social insurance, PRSI, number? There are young people reaching the voting age who wish to register but there are others who never vote and have convinced their children of voting age not to vote. Something should be done.

I have no doubt the Minister is totally committed to ensuring the establishment of a commission and to bringing in legislation as quickly as reasonably possible. He speaks with conviction. I hope his wishes will be fulfilled in the not too distant future. I have great faith in him.