I move that this Bill be now passed.
ELECTORAL BILL, 1923.—FIFTH STAGE.
I beg to second that.
There are a few verbal amendments to be made. The first is to substitute the word "Seanad" for "Senatorial" wherever it occurs. I thought that this change had been covered by a motion at a previous stage when, in the Preamble, the word "Senatorial" franchise had been changed to "Seanad" franchise. That appears not to have been clear, and it was not given effect to. I think there will be no dispute about this amendment.
Amendment agreed to.
I beg to move as an amendment, in page 5, to delete the words "the foregoing sub-section," and to substitute the words "this section." This change is necessary because Sections 3 and 4 have been put in the Bill. They were not originally in the Bill, but as they have been put in, the words "foregoing sub-section" would not now apply.
Amendment agreed to.
I beg to move in page 16 to delete the word "voting," and substitute the word "ballot." This amendment is merely to substitute the word "ballot" for the word "voting" in two clauses, and elsewhere throughout the Act wherever it occurs. The word to be used is "ballot."
Amendment agreed to.
I beg to move to delete the word "of" and substitute the word "for." In page 40 the word Minister "of" Local Government appears, and elsewhere it is Minister "for" Local Government. The amendment merely proposes to substitute "for" in place of "of."
Amendment agreed to.
I move in page 56 (Seventh Schedule) to add after the word "act" the words "with the necessary modifications." This amendment applies the rule for elections to the conduct of Referenda, and there will have to be a few modifications. For instance, if an illiterate voter is to be asked which candidate he votes for, the phrase will have to be modified when dealing with the Referenda, to ask whether he is for or against the Bill. The meaning of the amendment is that the provisions of the Act be adapted in that way.
Amendment agreed to.
I beg to move in page 60 to delete the word "July" and insert "November." In sub-section 3 in Clause 9 the 15th July was left in in consequence of changes made throughout the Bill when the date and month should have been altered to the 15th November. It is not, perhaps, a verbal change, but it is purely consequential.
Amendment agreed to.
Question put: "That the Bill, as amended, be now passed."
Agreed.