The government drops a proposal to ban opinion polls in the seven days before a general election or referendum.
The u-turn follows the discovery by the Independent Senator Shane Ross of a loophole in the Bill which would allow poll results to be published on election day itself.
The moment Shane Ross pointed out the loophole in the Bill, the government was in full retreat.
Minister for Defence Michael Smith TD speaking in the Seanad said that the government would only be comfortable with the Bill if there was all party consensus. He suggested that if the consensus were to re-emerge, then maybe it could be looked at again.
Shane Ross believes that the proposal to ban opinion polls was a knee-jerk reaction by both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael following the South Tipperary by-election and described the proposal as,
Close to some sort of censorship and tyranny.
The ban was originally proposed by Fine Gael who backed down after its constitutionality came under question. Fine Gael TD Paul Bradford maintains that the proposal to ban the publication of polls in the seven days leading to an election was fair.
Labour Party TD Joe Costello believes that the whole affair was humiliating for the government that abandoning the proposal is a good day for democracy.
The government have no alternative but to withdraw the legislation. That's unprecedented.
The government decision means that the Electoral Bill will have to go back to the Dáil in the autumn which also means that restrictions on corporation donations and election spending are also put on hold.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 11 July 2001. The reporter is Donal Kelly.
