asked the Minister for the Environment if he will extend postal voting facilities to Irish citizens living in other EC countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
26.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Extension of Voting Franchise.
14.
asked the Minister for the Environment if the Government will consider the establishment of the right to vote of Irish emigrants in Irish elections.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 26 together.
I have no proposals for the extension of the franchise to or provision of special voting facilities for Irish nationals living abroad.
Would the Minister not agree that it is extraordinarily absurd that Ireland would be out of step with its other partners in the EC in not allowing or facilitating the voting in elections of its emigrants abroad particularly in view of the high level of emigration.
No, I do not accept that. Under the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1986 we introduced a system of home-voting for disabled electors and also enabled certain civil servants and their spouses, resident abroad for the purpose of their duties, to be registered as electors to vote by post. I would have to bring the Deputy back to the circumstances of the open-ended postal voting system that applied in local elections in 1974 and again in 1985. My predecessor did not put a tooth in it, in so far as he was concerned, about the abuses that took place under those two systems. I am certainly not going to get involved in setting up a voting system within which we could not ensure reasonable security.
Would the Minister consider flying them home? That would be the thing to do.
Might I refer the Minister and the House to the wording of my question, No. 26, which makes no reference whatsoever to postal voting. That question — which the Minister is answering — deals with the acceptance of the right of emigrants to vote? I should like to ask the Minister how many EC countries accept that right and how many do not accept it? How many facilitate that right?
That would appear to be a separate question.
My question deals with the right to vote. I am very interested in getting a straight answer from the Minister as to whether he accepts that Ireland is out of step with the thinking within the Community in not accepting the right of emigrants to vote. That right is facilitated, for example, by Italy, Spain and a number of other countries. Why are we holding to this position?
We are holding to the position because it is necessary to protect the secrecy of the ballot. I might refer the Deputy to the circumstances of the Draper case which were pronounced upon by the Supreme Court. Indeed I might quote from that decision as follows:
In making this regulating law and in taking the other necessary steps the State must act reasonably and, having regard to the requirements of secrecy in the ballot and the dangers of intimidation and other electoral abuses, might strike a balance which will serve the common good.
I am saying to the Deputy that, if voting were to take place outside the State as he envisages it would be impossible to police properly and, consequently, it would not be in the best interests of the electoral system.
I want to advise the House that the time for questions has been exhausted. I will hear a very brief question from Deputy Sherlock.
In view of the fact that France and other EC countries can facilitate their emigrants, and while realising that there might be some technical problems that would not be insurmountable, what good ground could the Minister put forward for not giving Irish people in Britain and other EC countries the right to vote? Would he give further consideration to this matter?
The one ground I put forward is that it would be impossible to control abuse. Consequently it would not be feasible.
May I ask one more brief supplementary? The Spanish Government addressed the same question——
A question, please, Deputy.
——including the implications of the Draper case referred to in the Minister's reply — involving the same kind of technical details — yet they introduced amending legislation to facilitate the right of their emigrants to vote?
I thought we were going to have a precise question.
Would the Minister give the House a commitment to review the manner in which this issue has been examined by our partners in the EC so that we will not be left in the absurd position, perhaps during the Irish Presidency, of having the only emigrants not able to vote within the Community?
Our experience in this matter has not been good——
The Minister does not trust the Irish voter.
——not abroad but at home.
We never trusted them more.
(Interruptions.)
That disposes of questions for today.