Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. He is very welcome to the House. This is important legislation. It will help to take anonymous money out of politics, to take online misinformation and bots out of politics and to bring more voters into the system. It will regulate online political advertising, standardise and simplify the electoral register and protect the integrity of our elections.

Democracy is not something we can take for granted. We have seen it eroded in many other countries in recent years. This Bill is a major achievement because it defends our democracy. Over the past couple of years, we have seen an eroding, even within Ireland, because of the massive amounts of money some political parties have by comparison with others and the influence that some have online that others just do not have. There are loopholes in the law and some are using them, which is actually damaging to our democracy. That is why a cornerstone of the programme for Government was the setting up of an electoral commission. That is why it is a cornerstone of Green Party politics. In fact, our manifesto called for a commission to be set up. We cannot answer everything in legislation. That is what an independent commission is for. An independent commission considers everything in a way that is fair and it is not just about the current Government or Opposition.

The aspects of the Bill I am going to focus on are ones that are really important to me. One is the exceedingly important update allowing the pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds on a pending electors list. I have encountered at doorsteps people who had turned 18 and who had no idea what the closing date was and that they could have registered in advance of an election and voted. A huge job of politicians when they go to doors is to try to educate people in that regard. However, it should not be up to an individual politician at a doorstep. After all, who is that politician? Is he or she promising something in order to put somebody on the register? We just do not know.

I agree with almost everything said before me. It is time to consider extending the franchise to 16- and 17-year-olds. The education system, including civic, social and political education, has changed. We have a lot more in our education system to inform young people about voting. That means they need to feel they have a vote in order to exercise their right to participate in a democracy. I would argue that an adult from 40 to 90 has no more of a clue about politics than somebody who is 17 or 18. We have to show respect for younger people, particularly when it comes to matters associated with social and environmental justice. These people are the ones who are left the legacy of the decisions made today in politics, and that is why they need the vote. In fact, those who are towards the end of their lives have less motivation to vote with a long-term view in mind.

I would like to bring up the issue of the independence of the commission. I have been sent some suggested amendments, some of which are very good. We have to make sure we have a mix of expertise in the commission. That should probably be laid down very specifically in the Bill, although I realise it is to an extent. However, while it may be desirable to have some experience or expertise of former members of the Houses of the Oireachtas or local authorities in the commission, I am not sure the commission should be balanced in favour of those who have served previously. One of the key things in politics, particularly during elections, is that incumbents often have an advantage over those who are new. That means there is a need for a commission that is independent and does not have a vested interest in bringing back incumbents when it comes to making decisions.

A suggested amendment goes some way towards really taking on board the concern of Senator Boyhan over the giving out of false information. There needs to be something to stop the circulation of false information. I have seen people take legal cases over defamation. In the last few weeks in the lead-up to an election, one should not have to take a criminal case to have disinformation challenged.

I am going to speak again about my Bill on election posters and their restriction. On the floor of the Seanad, Members had varying views on it. Sinn Féin favours continuing with election posters, in the belief that any number is fine, but most of us do not have the funding or party members to do the electioneering, which includes putting up and taking down posters. I have argued that it does nothing to enhance an election when, on pole after pole and poster after poster, there are just people’s faces. Voters need information on what candidates stand for. That cannot be read on a pole. That is why I favour having elections like those across Europe in which election posters are put on a centrally displayed board. Everybody gets the same amount of space, regardless of his or her funding. It is actually stated what candidates stand for, and they are accountable. It is transparent. I will hark back to the words of the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, who is responsible for this area and who has done a huge amount of work on electoral reform.It was significant that the Minister of State said he would suggest the commission consider my Bill when it comes to examining the issue of election posters. I thank the Minister of State for giving of his time. I look forward to debating the Bill further on Committee Stage.