Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We could have more than 1 million people voting on some panels and more than 40 candidates. One can imagine the logistical problems that would arise with the size of the ballot paper and the size and number of the counts. If we had an election of that sort now, the count would not be over until Christmas. Lessons can be learned from the elections last weekend, both for the electoral register and for reform of Seanad Éireann. I heard the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, say it will be made perhaps a little more difficult for people to register to stand for the European Parliament, which may well reduce the number of people standing.