Tanaiste under pressure on e-voting Bill

The legislation relating to electronic voting will be introduced "shortly", the Tánaiste told the Dáil yesterday.

Ms Harney came under sustained Opposition pressure to give a definitive timespan for its introduction amid heated exchanges on the Order of Business.

"The Government has not yet considered the heads of the Bill, but it is being drafted as we speak," she said. "It will be published as quickly as possible. I do not have a precise date."

Earlier, Mr John Gormley (Green Party, Dublin South East) suggested there was no way the legislation could be passed before the European and local elections on June 11th.

The Labour spokesman on the environment, Mr Eamon Gilmore, pressed the Tánaiste to say when the Bill would be published.

"It was publicly announced and stated in the House that this Bill is to provide electronic voting."

Ms Harney replied: "I do not have a precise date, but it will be published as quickly as possible."

Mr Emmet Stagg, Labour chief whip: "What does that mean?"

Mr Gilmore: "The election is on June 11th."

Ms Harney: "It will be published shortly."

Mr Stagg said that according to the Government's published programme, the Dáil would be taking 11 days off for St Patrick's Day and 18 days off for Easter. There were only 18 sitting days between now and Easter, he added.

The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said that when the enabling legislation to introduce electronic voting was being put through the Seanad, a former minister of state, Mr Bobby Molloy, had remarked that it would not be implemented without the support of the Opposition parties.