David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

This is a very important debate. Since 1981 voter turnout has moved downwards, culminating in a low of 63% in 2002. The trend is 13% lower now than it was in 1981. Average turnout in Ireland over the three decades since the 1970s has been lower than in any of the other countries of the European Union — the rate of decline has been well above average. We have the lowest average voter participation in the European Union for general elections over the past 30 years. This is very serious. A major debate is needed on this issue when the election is over. An electoral commission needs to be set up to look into it. Polling hours have been extended and the polling day has been changed to the weekend. While these recent initiatives have not increased turnout, their real impact, according to political scientists Drs. Richard Sinnott and Pat Lyons, who have done much work in this area, may have been to stem the decline. Many Members have put forward statistics in the House on this issue. By moving to weekend voting we have stemmed the decline. Otherwise, the figures would have been even lower. This is extremely serious.

In Quebec, Canada, the province with the highest turnout, the election day is a public holiday. I am not saying we should have a special holiday in Ireland, since we have many as it is. However, it just makes the point. In its recent submission the Union of Students in Ireland recommended that all State elections be held at weekends to facilitate more than 540,000 students who are eligible to vote in exercising their constitutional right. That is quite important. In 2002, Ógra Fianna Fáil called for Saturday polling for the forthcoming general election that year, to increase voter turnout and to facilitate young people in particular. If Saturday polling was impossible, they wanted it on a Friday. However, the Taoiseach wants it on a Thursday, although he has not explained why.

The 86 countries labelled "democratic" by Freedom House in 1996 hold their elections on one single day. Almost half held their most recent elections on a Sunday, it was reported internationally. Saturday and Sunday were the second most frequent days around the world. Ireland is therefore out of step, across the world, in holding elections on a Thursday. I notice that the Fianna Fáil Dáil candidate, Mr. Jim O'Callaghan, has also called for weekend voting.

The Taoiseach made big play of establishing the task force on active citizenship. The task force said in its report that it wants to encourage everyone who is eligible to register and vote in elections through organisation, with particular reference to the timing of voting. Everyone is saying it is better to hold elections at the weekend. Another study, Democratic Freedom: Reinventing Political Activism, published by Cambridge University Press, says that holding elections on a rest day such as a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday can boost turnout by about 6%. When one bears in mind that we have had a steady decline in turnout over the decade the statistics being quoted in the House mask the decline. Holding elections on a Friday arrested the decline, somewhat. I notice that the task force has also come to similar conclusions.

This is very serious. I have a personal interest in that my son is in college in Dublin and he may not be able to come home to vote. The Minister talks about postal voting. Students find it difficult enough to organise themselves, to get postal votes. It is not an easy thing to do. It is difficult and challenging for them. Many of them do not know about it. It is far better if they could travel home to vote. They will have a choice, then, to either vote at home, or——

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