Sean Barrett (Independent)

Deputy Alex White represented the Labour Party in this House two years ago and I ask my good friend, Senator Harte, to read what he said on this issue at that time because it is the opposite to what the Senator has just said, which is another volte face.

In terms of who we elect, the former Senator Jerry Buttimer, speaking in this House, stated:

Ba mhaith liom tréaslú le baill an bhoird. Molaim mo chuid chomhghleacaithe ó Fhine Gael — Ian Mac Aindriú, Mícheál Ó Scanaill, Séamus Cosaí Mac Gearailt agus Pádraig Ó Dochartaigh — as ucht an méid oibre atáá dhéanamh acu ar son muintir na Gaeltachta. In praising the Fine Gael members of the board, I ask why are the elections being postponed.

The message we send to the people of the Gaeltacht, despite what Members on the Government side will say, is that the Government is afraid to hold elections. There is no need to postpone them

That was the policy of the Labour and Fine Gael parties then and I do not know what has happened since. We have bogus economic arguments that the Government is saving money. It is not; it is denying democracy.

Incidentally, the population of the Gaeltacht in these elections is about 2% of the State. The population of Ireland in the European Union is 1%. I hope they are not recording this debate in that they could abolish Irish elections on the basis that the Germans could run the country much better, and the Commission would appoint people to run a bankrupt country. This is a slippery slope and I object to this denial of democracy.