John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I missed that point and it is incredibly important, at least in the Cork city area, where on polling day in May, we will have five ballot papers. In itself, that is complicated enough without knowing where one is going to vote. What we have done and made provision for in this legislation is that if there is a delay in the process, the deadline of 25 February in Cork can be moved. It is called a "special difficulty notice". There is provision for it under the Electoral Acts, although I cannot name the section off the top of my head. That mechanism is there. It has rarely been used but it can be used in Cork if there is an issue.

The first thing we can do is that if we pass the legislation tonight, to be flippant, the people in Cork who are responsible for the registers will be able to go about their work more quickly.

On helplines and resources, the local government sector jealously guards its responsibility for the register, which is why in discussions we will have in the not-too-distant future about the establishment of electoral commissions, there will be a job to be done to marry the role of local of government into whatever role a commission would have. Essentially, helplines and such matters are issues for the local authorities but I will give the Senator a commitment that if extra resources are needed, I will speak to the head of the franchise section to ensure the local authorities in Cork will be able to do what they must to make sure people are on the register of electors well in advance of polling day at the end of May.