Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We hear stories, and we have to assume that these stories are not without some fact.

I also have concerns about the use of a polling card alone, that is, being able to walk in with a simple polling card with a name and address on it, and no request for identification. Although one may be asked, will that happen? That has to be looked at. We have heard stories in the past of polling cards being bought for a pint of Guinness. Are these just stories or do they happen? I have concerns that they happen.

Another issue is the electoral registers that still contain the names of the dead. I canvassed a lady in the last election whose son is still on the register even though he moved abroad. He has been abroad for 30 years and is still on the register. One can understand if it has happened recently, but there are instances of people who have passed away seven, eight or even ten years ago, still being sent a polling card to their house. One can see how things happen. For example, one could be registered under a maiden name and under a married name, maybe even in different constituencies. The opportunity is there to vote early and often, but that is not to say that it is taken up.

On the issue of posters, I have come around to the view that they should be banned. I do not know, perhaps that is because my hair is getting greyer and I am getting older and whatever. I think, as others have said, the hassle of putting them up, taking them down, the cost of them, posters going missing and vandalism, are all considerations. There is also a serious point which arose before the last election in relation to some towns which take it upon themselves to say that there is a ban on posters within the town. Is that fair on a candidate who is perhaps very reliant on that town, and other candidates who might not be, so it may not bother them as much as it would in other areas? Therefore, I welcome the review of the use of posters. In the past some candidates have decided not to use posters to their detriment. I do not think that a voluntary decision to not use posters has been official in some cases, although one could make a virtue of it, but an absolute decision would be welcome.

I would like to mention the Citizens' Assembly. It has served a purpose and continues to do so on important decisions made in our country. I have an issue with limiting membership to 100 people. It has been said that one ends up with counties that are not represented. The number should be increased and should also be looked at proportionately. Numerous locations should be used. For example, there should be a meeting of the Citizens' Assembly at the same time in Connacht, Munster, Leinster, the Border area and Dublin. Video conferencing can be used in this day and age to ensure that it would be more representative of the country as a whole, and it would provide regional coverage.I do not think it is right that some large counties ?. One Deputy in the previous Government mentioned that his county of Tipperary had not one person on one commission. That is not right in terms of population, so with modern technology, something like that could be looked at.

I welcome the Bill and the gist of it. It is important that it be teased out at Government and committee level and that the Minister is supporting it.