asked the Minister for the Environment if he will consider giving a postal vote to polling booth staff, e.g. polling clerks who are not working in their own constituency and who are therefore unable to vote.
19.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Voting Facilities.
18.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to permit those who find that their names are not on the register of electors even though they are entitled to vote to apply to the courts or to go through some procedure whereby they would be able to vote.
20.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to carry out a complete review of the methods used to compile the electoral registers as the present situation is far from satisfactory.
21.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he has any proposals to improve the situation of voter registration to give citizens more opportunity to vote in situations where their name does not appear on the final register of electors.
22.
(Dún Laoghaire) asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to amend the relevant legislation to allow disabled persons to have a postal vote.
23.
asked the Minister for the Environment if it is intended to extend postal voting facilities to the following categories of Irish nationals; (1) seaman employed by Irish Shipping or short-route companies such as B & I, British Rail; (2) civil servants on official duties overseas at election time; (3) Irish diplomats serving overseas; (4) those on bona fide business overseas on election day; and (5) airline personnel temporarily out of the country at election time.
24.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will extend the present postal vote system; and if he will ensure that all polling booths are easily accessible in order to facilitate aged or handicapped persons.
25.
asked the Minister for the Environment the outcome of his examination of the availability of postal voting for persons who are unable to get to the polls due to illness.
26.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he has any proposals to introduce a comprehensive system of postal voting at elections in this country.
27.
asked the Minister for the Environment the reason a disabled person (details supplied) in Dublin was denied access to a polling station despite the fact that representations were made to ensure that facilities would be provided to enable him to vote.
28.
asked the Minister for the Environment whether it is the Government's intention to review and amend the Dáil electoral laws in any respect other than the possible revision of constituencies; and, if so, in which respects.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 to 28, inclusive, together.
I have set up a working party with the following terms of reference: to examine and make recommendations on: (1) the registration process, with a view to effecting a real improvement in the standard of the register of electors, (2) a scheme of postal voting for disabled persons and others who may be unable to vote in person at an election, (3) access to polling stations for disabled persons, and (4) such other matters as may be referred to the working party by myself.
The inaugural meeting will be held on 3 June, 1982 and I have asked the working party to go about their task with a real sense of urgency. The working party comprise two county registrars, one sheriff, four senior local authority officials and two officials of my Department. The county registrars and sheriff involved, are returning officers at Dáil elections.
I am absolutely flabbergasted that the Minister——
A question, Deputy. You can ask if he is aware that you are flabbergasted.
I am sure that he is aware. With regard to Questions Nos. 18 and 19, will the Minister confirm that consideration will be given to the points raised? Question No. 27 relates to a particular individual and asks the Minister to state whether he is aware that the person was denied access and the steps he will take to correct the situation. Will the Minister say specifically what he intends to do about this since the person was denied access to the polling booth despite the fact that on the occasion of two elections the authorities were informed in advance that he would be coming to cast his vote? On both occasions he was denied that vote. I would ask the Minister to deal separately with this question because it does not relate to any commission or section of his Department but to an individual who has been denied his right to vote.
I share the Deputy's concern about this case and about other cases where I know that people did not go to the polls because——
Some of them went twice.
——they were in wheelchairs and so on. That is why I included in the terms of reference of the working party the question of access to polling stations for disabled persons. This was highlighted by the unfortunate case mentioned by Deputy Mitchell.
Will the working party be prepared to receive submissions from public representatives, from local authorities, from associations for disabled persons and from trade unions whose members by virtue of their employment are unable to vote? How long is the working party likely to sit and will the Minister bring to their attention the absolute need to prevent serious electoral abuse in relation to postal voting?
I am very anxious that the working party should report as quickly as possible. I gave them a time-scale of about three months. We all know the deficiencies in the registers in all constituencies and we need a speedy report followed by action. The working party will accept submissions from public representatives and the other groups mentioned by Deputy Desmond. My only worry is that the preparation of submissions might delay the report and the action which must follow.
In relation to persons not finding themselves on the register although they are entitled to be, will the Minister ask the working party to consider introducing a procedure whereby they could apply to the courts or some authority to obtain their vote? Will he ensure that this suggestion, included in Question No. 19, is also included in the terms of reference of the working party?
I have asked the working party to take a very broad view of the whole area. I feel it is a nonsense in this age of technology to prepare a register in the autumn which does not come into force until the following April and which stays unchanged for twelve months. The first term of reference concerns the registration process and that includes everything, right across the board.
Will the Minister circulate the terms of reference?
They have been publicised. I can make arrangements for them to go to every Deputy.
In view of the answers the Minister has given in relation to boundaries and electoral procedures, does he not think that in the context of retaining respect for and confidence in democracy on all sides of this House it is highly insulting to suggest that a working party of officials of his own Department will in secret produce a report which Opposition Members will never see unless it is circulated without amendment? There are only 38 democracies in the entire community of nations at the UN. Would the Minister not agree that to maintain support, at a time when only 55 per cent of the electorate may bother to vote, all registered political parties, who know far more about registers and electoral abuses than any civil servants, should be represented on the working party? Does he not agree that it should not be a secret working party in the Custom House but a working party of this House, the fountain of democracy?
I am sorry Deputy Quinn takes that approach. The working party is comprised of experts——
We are the experts.
The Deputy might allow me to reply. If it is the wish of the House that the report of the working party be published, I have no objection whatsoever. I share the Deputy's concern that the situation with regard to the registers and voting procedures should be improved, especially for the disabled. That is why I set up the working party. We have had for too long talk about defects in the system from politicians at local and national level. I have taken action and I want to get speedy action when the report of the working party is forthcoming. I ask political parties to make submissions to the working party. It comprises not just officials of my Department. Two county registrars are involved, together with a sheriff, four senior local authority officials and two officials of the Department. I appeal to all interested groups to make submissions, with the one proviso I have already mentioned, namely, that the working party must not sit for the next four years while we continue to suffer from the same defects in the registers and in the voting system.
(Dún Laoghaire): Can I take it that at the next election disabled persons will have their democratic right to vote? My question asks that the legislation be amended to give these people the rights to which they are entitled under the Constitution. Can we take it that postal votes or some other system will be used to enable disabled persons confined to places such as the Rehabilitation Institute in Dún Laoghaire, many of whom are paraplegics, to cast their votes?
That is my aim and desire and I share totally the views expressed by the Deputy. I would refer the Deputy to the second and third terms of reference which concern a scheme of postal voting for disabled persons and others who may be unable to vote in person at an election and access to polling stations for disabled persons.
Will the Minister do something to ensure that people who transfer from one area to another and are included on a new register are simultaneously crossed off the old register so as to stop them or other people from voting twice?
We are all aware of defects in the register and I am attempting to cure them.
Is the Minister saying that he will not accept nominated members from the political parties to the working party and is he saying that he will publish without amendment the report of that group for discussion in this House before any formal decision is made?
I am saying to the Deputy I would encourage submissions from the parties or individuals within the parties at national or local level. If the House feels it would like the document to be published I have no objection. However, the most important thing from the national point of view and for the credibility of our electoral system is that action be taken on the composition of the register in line with the terms of reference I have made out for the working party.
Will the Minister take it that we want the document published? I am saying this on behalf of the Labour Party and I am sure the other parties agree with this.
Yes, that is all right.
The remaining questions will appear on next Tuesday's Order Paper. I allowed a Private Notice Question in the name of Deputy Higgins but we have been informed that the matter was resolved.
I am sure my response should be as generous as that of the Chair. The matter that threatened thousands of jobs was resolved between the time I placed the Private Notice Question this morning and 2.30 p.m. when I was told the matter could be raised in the House. However, on a point of order, there is a matter which affects the Minister for the Environment. It is in connection with some questions I placed for written answer on Wednesday, 26 May. There were four questions that sought to assess the degree of housing need among local authorities. They asked for the number of housing applicants by age and sex but to all of the questions the simple reply I got was to the effect that "the information requested by the Deputy is not available to my Department". This raises a most crucial question. How am I to find out the degree of housing need in local authorities? The answer I have been given is that the information is not available in the Department and I find that extraordinary. It is incredible that local authorities would not return to the Department of the Environment the total number of tenants and housing applicants.
Would the Deputy like to raise the matter on the Adjournment?
Yes, I should like to do so. I regard it as a matter of grave public importance that we know the number of people in houses and those without houses. To my mind the kind of reply I received is a disgrace.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
Due to a clerical error a question I had hoped to table as a Private Notice Question was not reached and I should like to raise the matter on the Adjournment. The matter relates to the cutting off of electricity to the Crowe timber factory at Kilshane Cross near Finglas — it is a member of the Gallagher Group — with a consequent loss of jobs for 200 people. This is a matter of considerable urgency.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.