Vol. 434 No. 9
21 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for the Environment if he will consider additional measures such as the compulsory production of identification by all voters to provide against personation at elections, particularly in the light of recent evidence and court proceedings indicating that personation continues to be a problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Following a conviction last April for personation, the Garda authorities, who are responsible for enforcement, were consulted regarding the adequacy of the electoral law provisions in this regard. The authorities have advised that the existing safeguards are generally satisfactory but the matter will be kept under review and further measures will be considered should that appear necessary.
I am thankful that the Minister is keeping the matter under review, but in view of the fact that in one constituency in the last general election a Dáil seat was won and lost by a margin of five votes — there was no personation involved — it could be said——
There was quite a number of dodgy votes.
——that the make-up of the incoming Government was determined by those few votes. Does that not demonstrate clearly that every effort must be made to ensure that every vote cast in all constituencies is valid and legitimate and not the result of criminal fraud by dishonest individuals who show contempt for the democratic process, as occurred, unfortunately, in my constituency of Dublin Central. Finally, may I ask the Minister whether he agrees that if any Member of this House in any way approved, encouraged or permitted their associates to organise criminal personation, that Member should resign his Dáil seat?
I regret to say that if Deputy Gregory were to examine my electoral record he would see that on a few occasions the margins were extremely tight and, unfortunately, on the wrong side. If a few people were to cast their votes in my direction — however they might arrive there — I am sorry to say I may not have even challenged it on a personal basis.
Seriously speaking, the evidence of identification that is on the personating card and the items that can be requested of a voter — passport, childrens' allowance book and so on — is an appropriate system. While I do not have all the details that seem to be available to Deputy Gregory, we have a sound system and the integrity of the voting system is rarely challenged and there have been few instances of this over the years. When it does happen the question of the strict adherence to the law, the elimination of that process and any further steps that could be taken to eliminate it in the future will be considered if they are deemed necessary.
There have been some celebrated cases.
