asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, having regard to the report that when many registered voters presented themselves at various polling stations to claim their votes at the recent General Election they found that they had been impersonated, he will introduce proposals for legislation with a view to devising some means of identification of the voter to be presented to the Presiding Officer when application is made for a ballot paper.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Impersonation at Elections.
The question of the steps which might be taken to prevent personation, including the identification of electors, was specifically considered by a Committee appointed for the purpose, and I would refer the Deputy to the report presented to the Oireachtas on the 16th January, 1925.
In view of what took place at the recent elections will the Minister give some consideration to the last two lines of this question?
Will the Minister give some consideration also to the question of introducing legislation to prohibit candidates from shaking hands with voters outside polling booths?
That question does not arise.
This is a serious matter. It is not one for flippancy even from the leader of a Party in the House. In view of what took place at the recent elections and the prosecutions that followed, will the Minister try to devise some means of preventing personation?
And unfair electioneering methods?
I have asked the Minister a question and no one else.
Will the Minister say if instructions were issued to the Civic Guards to prevent American citizens from voting on the ground of their American citizenship?
That is a separate question.
Will the Deputy tell us if the Pigmy Princess from Central Africa voted?
Deputies apparently have not been taught any lesson about flippancy. I am asking a very serious question affecting every member of the House in the interests of decency at elections. I asked the Minister a reasonable question affecting everybody. It is not a matter for flippancy.
I believe the law as it stands gives sufficient authority to everyone concerned to stop personation. If the law is properly exercised I believe that trouble can be dealt with.
Has the Minister considered whether it could be made more effective?
If any Deputy has any suggestion to offer as to how it can be made more effective I shall be very happy to consider it.
asked the Minister for Justice if he is now in a position to state the number of persons who were arrested on the charge of personation during the recent General Election, and if he will state whether any steps have been taken to trace the persons who induced those charged to personate.
Fifty-four persons were arrested on charges of personation in connection with the recent General Election.
In any case where it was possible to prove that the offence had been committed at the instigation, or with the assistance, of another person, proceedings were taken against such other person. There were three such prosecutions and four others are under consideration.
Will the Minister take steps to try to trace those who induced young business girls in shops in the City of Dublin to personate and get them fined and get their names into the paper? I say that those responsible for that should be fined and not the unfortunate business girls.
Has the Minister considered the possibility of promising immunity to people who personate on the condition that they disclose who induced them to personate?
There has been no attempt to do that.