I thank you, Sir, for selecting this matter on the Adjournment. I received many telephone calls about it at the weekend. Islanders are annoyed that they must vote in the forthcoming referenda on 19 rather than 22 May. After the general election last June they were told that would be the last time they would have to vote on a different day from people on the mainland in summer elections.
In the debate on the Amsterdam Treaty Members talked about bringing people in Europe together and achieving rights for all citizens in Europe, yet our islanders must vote three days before people on the mainland. There is no justification for this. The Heaneys on Inishturk have a new boat which could bring the returning officer and his or her staff to and from the island on polling day. Chris O'Grady on Clare Island has the most modern boat in the State and could also bring the returning officer to and from that island on polling day. The people on Inishbiggle are not so fortunate, but I am pleased to tell the Minister of State, Deputy Molloy, that planning permission from his county council for the installation of a cable car has been granted. Perhaps those islanders can vote on the same day as people on the mainland in the next election because the returning officer will be able to travel to and from the island by cable car.
The Minister of State, Deputy Ó Cuív, promised a wonderful package for the islands before the last general election. He promised to give islanders special social welfare concessions to meet the cost of living on the islands. He promised them special subsidies for their boats and stated that they would not have to comply with the same conditions for medical cards as people on the mainland. None of those promises was kept and the islanders are very annoyed. Many of them are threatening not to vote in the forthcoming referenda as a protest. Many of them did not vote in the last general election; they want to vote with everybody else. In the last election they even had to vote before the major debate took place on television between the then Taoiseach, Deputy Bruton, and then Opposition Leader, Deputy Ahern. Some years ago a garda in wellingtons had to walk to and from Inishbiggle Island with the ballot box. At a time when we are discussing the Amsterdam Treaty and talking about putting people on the moon, it is ridiculous that we cannot send a returning officer to the islands on the day of an election.
I ask the Minister to direct all returning officers to go to the offshore islands on the day of the referenda and not treat them like second class citizens.