A demand that the House debate the problems associated with the electoral register was rejected.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF, Cavan-Monaghan) said time should be allocated to address the "substantive issues" that had been highlighted.
Tánaiste Michael McDowell, who was taking the Order of Business, replied: "No proposals have been made in respect of holding a debate in the House on the issue of the register." He added that he would urge everybody to check the register and comply with the legal provisions. "I note that some counties, Louth and Donegal, have an unexpectedly higher number of people on the register than others."
Mr Ó Caoláin, referring to Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern, a Louth-based TD, remarked: "The Tánaiste has the right man sitting behind him."
Kildare North TD Emmet Stagg revealed that, like his party colleague Jack Wall, his name, and that of his family, had been removed from the register of voters. "I am not paranoid, but that does not mean that they are not out to get me." He added that Minister for the Environment Dick Roche had suggested that legislation might be required to deal with proposals made by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte.
Mr McDowell remarked: "I understood that legislation is not promised. If Deputy Stagg was to look more carefully at the register for Co Kildare, he would find himself in The K Club."
Meanwhile, Bernard Durkan (FG, Kildare North) referred to the "clearly-illustrated unreliability of electronic voting", as shown in the mid-term US elections.
