All week the House has been convulsed by voting irregularities. There has also been plenty of speculation about the date of the general election. It is nearly a year since the regulatory impact assessment was made of the electoral commission Bill. For some time we have been promised an electoral commission which is to be established by the Government. It is the subject of a commitment in the programme for Government and has been repeatedly promised in schedules for the Dáil. This is a direct and simple question. When will the electoral commission be established? Will it be established in time for the next general election?

Approval to draft the heads of the Bill was given by the Government in July and the drafting process is ongoing. We are anxious to introduce the Bill as quickly as we can, but we need to get it right.

Will it be introduced in time for the next general election?

May 2020.

I certainly hope so.