Pat Gallagher (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom tréaslú le mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív, as ucht an Bille seo a thabhairt os comhair na Dála. Tá áthas orm go bhfuil an Rialtas sásta glacadh leis an mBille seo. Agus mé ag éisteacht leis na hurlabhraí ó na páirtithe eile, tá áthas orm go bhfuil siadsan sásta glacadh leis freisin agus ligean don Bhille seo dul go dtí an chéad Chéim eile.

Tá an-taithí agam ar na hoileáin i nDún na nGall. Idir toghcháin rialtais áitiúil, toghcháin Dála agus toghcháin Eorpacha, throid mé 15 toghchán thar na blianta. Bhí na hoileáin i mo chontae go léir i nDáilcheantar Dún na nGall Thiar-Theas agus anois tá siad i nDáilcheantar Dún na nGall. Sin an Dáilcheantar do Dhún na nGall seachas Béal Átha Seanaidh agus Bun Dobhráin. Cúis iontais ormsa thar na blianta go raibh ar mhuintir na n-oileán dul amach chun a vóta a chaitheamh cúpla lá roimh an toghchán ar an mórthír. B'fhéidir go raibh ciall leis na blianta fada ó shin nuair nach raibh na modhanna taistil céanna ann agus atá againn inniu, ach ní luíonn sé le ciall a thuilleadh go gcaitheadh muintir na n-oileán dul amach cúpla lá roimh an toghchán. Ar ndóigh, ag an gcéad thoghchán eile, b'fhéidir toghchán Dála nó na toghcháin áitiúla a bheidh againn in 2019, beidh an deis céanna acu dul amach ag vótáil ar an lá céanna le muintir na mórthíre.

I am delighted that the islands in my former constituency, which included the electoral area of Glenties, the Dáil ceantair of Donegal South West, Donegal as it is now or indeed my European Parliament constituency - Arranmore, Inishbofin, Inishfree, Gola and Tory - will be addressed by this Bill. It never made sense to us, particularly in recent years when the mode of transport to the islands has become so different to what it was - even in 1979 when I stood for election to the council. I was in and out to the islands on half deckers late on winter nights but this does not happen anymore. Why should the islanders be deprived of a full election campaign right up to midnight on the night before polling day? I recall one election that took place on a Friday but the islanders voted on the previous Tuesday. Successive Ministers for the Environment insisted that voting had to take place a few days beforehand. The existing practice of voting early on the islands is totally outdated and dates from a time when we did not have the transport options that are available now - be it a helicopter to Tory or ferries to Arranmore and the other islands. We have moved on. The system of voting to which I refer has been in place since the time when there were only two types of media, namely, the national newspapers, which might not reach the islands every day, and RTE Radio One. This was long before Raidió na Gaeltachta came into existence.

I am delighted that we have moved on and that the Government is accepting Deputy Ó Cuív's Bill. When one considers that voting was on Wednesdays or Thursdays, how could students have the opportunity to vote? They had to return from college in order to do so. Those who worked on the mainland had to return to the islands. Between now and Committee Stage, we should think of something innovative and consider another type of postal vote for islanders.

In the presence of the Aire Stáit na Gaeltachta, I cannot let the opportunity to talk about Cé an Rannaigh on Arranmore pass. Of course, we can all be responsible for not providing funding but after all the infrastructural works that have been carried out over the years, the Minister of State should consider Cé an Rannaigh on Arranmore. Go to any of the islands where they have boithre áise. There is not a pingin rua to be spent on the boithre áise. What are the most important roads? They are not the primary or secondary roads or the motorways. They are important but to any individual, the most important road of all is the road leading to his or her land or house. The Minister of State should make a name for himself and challenge the Department of Finance together with the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, who announced - in a blaze of publicity - a new CLÁR programme that does not provide money for any of the local improvement schemes. We are proud of our time in government, when I had responsibility for those and ensured we had the highest ever funding. This is not just about voting. It is about the development of the islands and it is the Minister of State's opportunity to make a small contribution.

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