Seanad debates
Thursday, 12 September 2002
An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Fiche ar an mBunreacht, 2002: An Dara Céim. Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2002: Second Stage.
We must also facilitate the electorate and increase turnout by the choice of polling day. This is a vote of enormous importance. It is about the future of Europe and we can learn from Europe about improving voter turnout. The referendum should be held on a weekend to facilitate young people, students and the working population. Perhaps the Minister would discuss with the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the possibility of holding the referendum over two days of the weekend, for example, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday night and all day Saturday or all day Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. If we wish to give people an opportunity to vote and to increase turnout, we must use every opportunity to do so. If Wednesdays and Thursdays were good enough for voting in previous years, they are not good enough now. In the recent general election there was a record low turnout. We must address that broad problem and we have an opportunity to begin doing that in the Nice treaty campaign. I urge the Minister to consider my suggestion.
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