Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

We all agree that we should try to increase the level of voter participation. It is interesting to compare Ireland's record over the last few elections to that of other countries. Our figures are good, when compared to other countries, over the last three polls — the local elections of 2004, the referendum of the same year and the general election of 2007. A number of issues need to be considered in this regard. Like the authorities in other countries, we need to do as much as possible to improve the register of electors. The improvements in the register which were made in advance of this year's general election were quite significant and certainly helped. I have an open mind. It depends where one is, I suppose. A Saturday or Sunday election would be a disaster in a constituency like the constituency I represent. People leave the city in large numbers on Fridays, and the best of luck to them, but that is the reality. Many surveys have been carried out which show that people go here, there and everywhere — they are certainly not at their base. The opposite may be the case in rural Ireland but speaking about where I am in the heart of Dublin, it seems that they all come to Dublin at weekends. I suppose it is the world we live in.

I was in Dublin Airport the other night when people were coming back from the premiership matches and I thought I was in Heathrow Airport because of the football colours——

See this speech in context