Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill. I realise the Government will oppose it, as with so many other issues, for the sake of opposition. I think back on some of the proposals brought forward by Fine Gael in the past five years, which we were assured would be replaced by Government Bills, and this never happened. I recall the Bill to attach fines to social welfare or to employment. We were guaranteed that would be brought in and it never happened. The same thing happened with so many other Bills.

It is clear the Taoiseach has not too much respect for young people, especially. He wants to force them to stay in Dublin city, if at all possible, to vote, hopefully, for him and his party. It is obviously a last ditch effort to maintain his vote and that of his party in that area. I spoke recently to a young group in Castleblayney college, as did Deputy Ó Caoláin and others. Those students showed tremendous interest in the whole political system. Anyone who thinks young people do not have an interest in the political system, if given a chance, is not being fair to them. Why does Fianna Fáil, especially, fear allowing young people home to vote on, say, a Friday or Saturday? Thursday is impossible for them for many reasons. It was interesting to see that the Minister was so sure of himself as regards the voting rights of students. Many taoisigh have made efforts over the years to try to solve the Northern Ireland problems. Yet there are students from my constituency, Cavan-Monaghan, Donegal and from around the Border, mainly, who go to college in Northern Ireland and who, in effect, are being refused a vote. They are being refused a vote, although they live on this island. Is that fair or realistic?

If they go from this jurisdiction to Queen's University, St. Mary's, Jordanstown, Coleraine or Magee, they are not allowed to vote. People in Northern Ireland have a right to an Irish passport but they have not a right to a vote here even though born, reared and still domiciled in this State. I ask the Minister, even at this late stage to reconsider the situation. He possibly has a few days left for legislation and perhaps a Bill could be rushed through the Oireachtas to give students from the Border counties the same rights as any other student here. Students living across the Irish Sea, who for different reasons might have had to study in Britain, should also have that right. This Government has totally failed to provide jobs for young people, especially graduates, in areas such as Cavan-Monaghan or Donegal for that matter. They have been forced to go to work in Dublin or elsewhere and at least they should be given the opportunity to come home on either a Friday or Saturday and vote for the people they want to elect in their own constituencies.

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