Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

I agree with the sentiments expressed by Deputy McHugh. A vote is a basic democratic right. Many people like to have it but a number of people do not want to use it. That is a tragedy. Examining the history of how people won the vote might bring people back to their senses. Some 50% of the population, women, did not have the vote at one stage. At another stage one had to be a property owner or 21 years of age to vote. When one considers how much those in Africa had to fight for the right to vote and the effort these people go to in casting their vote it shows the true value of a vote. If people examined how dictatorships controlled people it would wake them up. I encourage people to cast their vote in a way that uses the full proportional representation potential of the vote. Many people do not realise the value of the proportional representation and the value of going through the whole card. I encourage people to do so.

Some believe we have too many Deputies but I would like to have one more to facilitate the position of Ceann Comhairle. The party from whose ranks the Ceann Comhairle is selected has a strategic advantage in the following election. Cavan-Monaghan was a five seat constituency but it has been reduced to four seats for this election and that is wrong. A seat should be reserved for the Ceann Comhairle but the people of the constituency should not be disenfranchised. There have been constitutional rows about the numbers of people in constituencies. This is a real issue and will affect whoever is in the constituency of the present and next Ceann Comhairle. It is entirely wrong and unconstitutional.

Students have been written out of the electoral equation by proposing to hold the election on a Thursday and that is completely wrong. Also, to avoid voter fraud people should use their PRSI number so they could only vote once.

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