Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I have listened keenly to Deputy Ó Cuív on this issue. I appreciate his interest to facilitate voting by our island communities. However, it is important that we keep sight of the key objective of ensuring that ballot boxes from island polling stations are at the count centre at 9 a.m. in the morning on the day of the count. That is the No. 1 consideration. It is not desirable that the count for any constituency should be unduly delayed because all the ballot boxes are not at the count centre. The provisions in the electoral Acts are there to cater for that.

I agree with Deputy Ó Cuív that cancellations of island ferry services are few and far between. He has provided the statistics in that regard. However, we must err on the side of caution and the fact is that cancellations happen and we must provide for such situations. The returning officer in the constituency is best placed to decide on whether the poll should be taken on an island on an earlier date. It would not, therefore, make sense to repeal section 85 of the Electoral Act 1992. Notwithstanding the statistics and taking climate change into account, there are unpredictable climate change patterns and we must be aware of that. We have, on occasion, checked the situation with the island ferry companies. Ferries have been cancelled in Donegal, Mayo and Galway in extreme weather conditions.