Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I am afraid there is nobody on any island who has the right to vote for me. I am sure they would if they could.

We support this Bill. We welcome the fact that the Government said it will not oppose it and that it agrees with it. I hope it will be implemented as soon as possible. What is at stake is equality and democratic rights. In this day and age, when it is not necessary to have earlier polling days in order to return ballot boxes on time, there is an infringement of people's democratic rights. Islanders and all voters in the State should benefit from campaigns of the same length and have the same time in which to deliberate. Obviously, it is the case that many people change their mind or make up their mind in the final few days of campaigning. People should have the right to exercise that choice throughout a campaign. Effectively, early voting on the islands arbitrarily designates entire communities as early voters, thereby infringing on their democratic rights.

Obviously, the Bill is open in terms of finding practical solutions to ensure ballot boxes can be transported, etc. There clearly are solutions these days, including helicopters, to all the problems. In a worst-case scenario, the counting or declaration of the count could simply be delayed to ensure people's democratic right to vote on the relevant day takes precedence.

With regard to other elements of electoral reform that need to be implemented, there were extensive discussions at meetings of the previous Dáil's environment committee, in which Deputy Coppinger took part, dealing with the need for an electoral commission, for example. A range of electoral reforms need to be implemented in this State, including the reform of postal voting, which is very restricted for everybody, including voters who may be out of the State on a holiday booked before an election is called. Reforms should address the disenfranchised, votes for 16 and 17 year olds, the extension of votes to non-Irish citizens, more accurate electoral registers produced on a rolling basis and an easier means of registration.

The treatment of islanders as second-class citizens in democratic elections by having them vote earlier than those who live on the mainland is a reflection of the treatment of people on islands in general. In the past week, the residents of Inishmore were held to ransom by a profitable private operator who objected to an 80 cent levy per passenger. This resulted in the withdrawal of a vital service at the operator's whim. The circumstances see a local council under pressure to raise funds through such levies due to extensive austerity cuts over the years by central government. The issue is obviously ongoing.

I welcome the fact that the residents of the Aran Islands are active and vigilant on the issue and will not tolerate interference with their right to transport. There should be public provision of transport when the private sector is unable and unwilling to provide an affordable service for our island communities. Last year, in a similar vein, we saw the residents of the Aran Islands object to the ending of the provision of air transport to the islands, the alternative being a helicopter service which would have operated from the east of Galway city, far away from where the ferry operates, and from an area with a strong connection to the islands. Thankfully, the islanders were successful in their campaign of opposition. This indicates that as long as transport services are provided on a for-profit basis and are not provided on the basis of the needs of communities coming first, we will face these problems time and again.

Broadband provision on the islands is a real issue. Investment in high-speed, reliable broadband should be a priority for the Government. It would have a knock-on effect on access to education and medicine and it would allow people to work remotely on the islands. What is occurring forms part of the wider neglect of the west and the Gaeltacht in particular. Many in Gaeltacht communities have rightly come to the conclusion that this Government and its predecessor are hostile to them. They can see that from the 39% cut to Foras na Gaeilge since 2001. This takes inflation into consideration.

Údarás na Gaeltachta has had its capital budget cut by 73% from €22.5 million in 2007 to €6 million in 2013. At the same time, IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland budgets were increased. The question that the Government, which is a continuation of the previous Government in many senses, must answer is why Gaeltacht communities were picked out for savage cuts at a time when investment was needed to increase and develop sustainable employment.

Capitalism as a system and austerity as a policy have failed the islands, the west and the Gaeltacht. The State is not serious about economic development in those areas. Instead, it prefers to facilitate easy profits for big business in the east while the need for investment, transport and employment in island communities is not a priority.

We welcome the Bill and hope that it passes as quickly as possible. I echo the comments about pre-legislative scrutiny being unnecessary. Many of the issues could easily be ironed out on Committee Stage, thereby hastening the Bill through the Dáil and its enactment. It is only a small part of the wrongs that need to be righted in terms of providing equal treatment to islanders in all respects.

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