Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)

This Bill is important because its aim is to give the opportunity to vote to the maximum number of people. It needs no elaboration that midweek elections do not suit many categories of people. One such category is students who study at colleges away from their homes. Students are mainly young people, many of whom are sceptical of politics and politicians. Members should do everything in our power to ensure this scepticism is minimised. The Taoiseach has a similar responsibility but his recent comments suggest he has no intention of acting to facilitate as many people as possible to vote with the minimum of difficulty.

The uncertainty about the date of the general election is unfair to students, particularly those doing exams. Some 650,000 people are aged between 19 and 28, many of whom are students. Every effort should be made to accommodate them. Those studying away from home do not know whether they will be finished their exams when polling takes place. They are faced with the impossible task of applying for a postal vote within two days of the dissolution of the Dáil if they are sitting an exam on election day. In those two days they must have the application form stamped by the college and submitted to the local authority. It is impossible, impractical and unfair to young people.

The Taoiseach has a duty to the students to ensure they are accommodated. The election should be held during the weekend. The Taoiseach should name the day of the election and allow Members to get on with it. We should stop the shadow boxing and the phoney war taking place at present. Members are fed up with this. I wish we had legislation to define the date of the election so that Members would know when the following election would take place. The current situation is absolute rubbish.

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