Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Dec 2016

Vol. 931 No. 3

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members]

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time".

Molaim an Bille seo don Teach. Is é an polasaí atá leis an mBille seo ná go mbeadh an vótáil ar na hoileáin ar an lá céanna leis an mórthír. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach mar, ar ndóigh, is as Contae Chorcaí é. Le blianta fada anuas, bíonn an toghchán ar na hoileáin i gCorcaigh ar an lá céanna leis an mórthír. Tá ceann de na hoileáin sin - Cléire - chomh fada amach ón gcósta agus atá aon oileán in Éirinn. Chomh maith leis sin, d'fhéadfaí a rá nach bhfuil na saoráidí céanna ó thaobh iompair nó rochtain de ann agus atá ar chuid de na hoileáin a mbíonn an vótáil ar an lá roimhe.

Agus mé ag moladh an Bhille seo, thóg mé san áireamh na hathruithe ollmhóra atá tagtha ar chúrsaí iompair sa tír seo agus an nósmhaireacht a húsáideadh sa toghchán deiridh. Tá ceithre chontae in Éirinn agus ceithre Dháilcheantar go bhfuil oileáin iontu: Corcaigh Thiar-Theas, áit le fada an lá, mar a dúirt mé, go mbíonn na toghchán ar an lá céanna leis an mórthír; Gaillimh Thiar, áit a bhfuil ceithre oileán agus os cionn leath de dhaonra na n-oileán agus áit a bhíonn an vótáil an lá roimhe; Maigh Eo, áit a raibh an vótáil an lá roimhe an t-am seo; agus Tír Chonaill, áit a mbíodh an vótáil cúpla lá roimhe go dtí an t-am seo.

Tá cás Chontae Dhún na nGall thar a bheith spéisiúil mar ag an toghchán deiridh ba é an tAerchór, de réir mar a thuigim, a thug amach na boscaí agus a thug isteach iad ó na hoileáin - beartas ciallmhar stuama. I gcás oileáin Árann, tá eitleán ann agus, ar ndóigh, tá seirbhís báid ann agus ní raibh fadhb ar bith na boscaí a fháil go dtí na hionaid vótála. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go dtuigfimid gur ceist chearta daonna atá i gceist anseo. Ceann de na bunchearta is mó ar troideadh ar a son thar na blianta fada ná go mbeadh vótáil ag saoránaigh na tíre seo. I gcás na n-oileán, níl an vóta céanna nó an deis vótála céanna acu agus atá ag daoine ar an mórthír agus tá muid ag iarraidh é sin a chur ina ceart leis an mBille simplí seo.

Is é leagan amach an Bhille ná breathnú ar chuid den reachtaíocht toghcháin agus aon tagairt atá ann do vóta a bheith ar lá roimh an chuid eile den tír a bhaint as an reachtaíocht sin ach deis a fhágáil, mar gur nós é i gcás ar a laghad péire de na hoileáin i dTír Chonaill, go bhféadfadh lá níos gaire a bheith ann. Tarlaíonn sé seo, mar shampla, ar Inis Fraoigh, áit nach bhfuil ach b'fhéidir ceathrar nó cúigear ag vótáil agus an rud céanna ar Ghola.

I can imagine the advice the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, is receiving, but I hope he is not taking it. I have often criticised the Minister's policies, but I have found him very amenable to listening to the House in terms of legislation. A number of Bills were passed by the previous Dáil, such as the Animal Health and Welfare Act, where the Minister listened to reasoned arguments from the Opposition and took them board.

This Bill seeks to provide for same-day voting on the islands, as happens on the mainland. The reason voting takes place on the islands one, two or three days before voting takes place on the mainland is because in the distant past access to the islands was very difficult.

The Minister is from Cork and is no doubt aware that for many years islands such as Oileán Chléire, which was quite a distance from the coast and did not have the same type of piers as the Aran Islands or Inishbofin, always had same day voting and managed, miraculously, to transfer the boxes. I accept that Bere Island is very near inshore, as are Whiddy Island and others, but the Minister will accept that Oileán Chléire is as remote as any of the other islands when piers and ferry services are taken into account.

Notwithstanding the fact that Cork could transfer boxes, the Galway, Mayo and Donegal islands are still on a system of previous day voting. One is spoilt for choice in the Aran Islands in terms of air and boat services.

The issue of fog is constantly thrown in our faces. I understand the Minister is interested in sailing. As he knows if there is fog the water is calm and, therefore, boats can sail with no problem whatsoever. The reality is that there is more chance that boxes cannot be transported out of Wicklow than from islands.

It is also interesting to note what happened in Donegal during the last election, where the air corps was used to transfer boxes. The cost was absolutely minimal and I presume the decision was taken by the returning officer. This happened despite previous day voting having taken place.

In Oileán Ghabhla and Inis Fraoigh voting does not go on for a full day, something Deputy Pearse Doherty can confirm. Therefore, it is very easy to get the boxes off the islands. In the case where the Air Corps was used, the election took place during the winter and there was no problem transferring boxes to the count centre before 9 a.m.

The current provision is archaic and out of date. I have included the provision relating to the Donegal islands in my Bill because I have heard nobody complaining about the procedure there. I understand on one island the electorate comprises four or six people and on the other it is up to 20, and they have no difficulty with short day voting.

I ask for common sense to prevail. It is very important to recognise what the lack of this procedure is doing. In order to facilitate people in rural areas, in particular, most elections now take place on a Friday - for many years general elections have taken place on a Friday. The reason is that many people in universities or institutes of technology around the country or those working away from Roscommon, Galway or wherever want, quite legitimately and as they are so entitled, to vote in their home constituency. People could leave work or a third level institution at 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. on a Friday evening and return to one's home county in time to vote.

If one is studying in Dublin, for example, one can return to Kildare or Meath quite easily. However, if a high proportion of an island population worked or studied on the mainland during the week it would be very difficult in most cases to travel back to an island on a weekday. As we see every weekend, a large number of island residents return from places of study or work to their homes on the islands where they wish to vote.

That is not possible if they have to vote a day early on a Thursday and it means that, above all communities in the country, it is hard to get a high turnout on the islands. The Bill seeks to ensure that this discrimination and barrier to turnout on the islands is removed in a simple way and that we ensure, using all the modern technology, ferry boats, aeroplanes and other facilities to be put in place, that we give the same basic rights to islanders as are afforded to everyone else in the country.

The most fundamental right gained through our independence was the right, through the ballot, to elect our own Oireachtas, to change our Constitution through referendum and directly to elect our President. To discommode any citizen by making it more difficult for him or her to vote is wrong. I hope the Bill is accepted and that we have all-party agreement on it. I hope that we can all agree to move forward together to ensure that off-shore islanders have the same electoral rights as those who live on the mainland.

Deputy Lisa Chambers

I welcome this legislation, which is long overdue. The Bill recognises that inequalities still persist for our island communities when they exercise their democratic right to vote. This representation has been made to me and many other Deputies in constituencies with island communities, including those in counties Mayo, Galway and Sligo.

The statutory provision the Bill seeks to amend is archaic and no longer fit for purpose and the law needs to move with the times. It is old-fashioned and represents a totally unacceptable infringement on the rights of island communities to exercise their democratic right to vote. That we would force some communities to vote earlier than everyone else because we think it will be more convenient for a certain few, although there is really no apparent good reason for doing so anymore, cannot be allowed to continue. This Bill represents an opportunity to make that change.

Why did we have the provision in the first place? When it was first introduced, we did not have the strong transport links we now have. Technology was a lot poorer and communications were a lot weaker and it was more difficult to ensure that the boxes would get to the mainland to be counted on the same day as everyone else's votes. That is no longer the case. Vast improvements in communications and transport now ensure that we can get those votes to the mainland to be counted at the same time as every other vote.

We need to consider the negative impact on those communities in this situation. I have already mentioned the clear inequality: they are being treated differently to those living on the mainland. That is obvious. It is disrespectful to island communities that we would treat them this way. Let us be honest: probably because their numbers are quite few, their voices may not have been heard or listened to well enough in this Chamber in the past. Thankfully, Deputy Ó Cuív has given a strong voice to island communities for years. We were the only party in the 2016 election to provide a policy for island communities.

It is also important to recognise that these communities, when they vote a day or two before everyone else, are effectively excluded from the political debate for those last couple of days. Those last couple of days are crucial. That is when people make their minds up, when the debate intensifies and when people really focus on what they want from their candidate or political party. We are precluding those island communities from participating in that vital last debate.

As Deputy Ó Cuív has also pointed out, Friday voting has become the norm, and rightly so. It presents an opportunity for those living and working away to vote. Many is the time I travelled from where I was living back to my community in Mayo to vote. I never moved my vote. Many of those living in island communities work or study on the mainland. It is often not possible for them to go back to vote on a Wednesday or a Thursday, so we are making it extremely difficult for them to cast their vote, and unnecessarily so. Deputy Ó Cuív has already pointed out that there are many island communities such as those in Cork and Donegal whose votes are cast on the same day as those on the mainland. I do not see why this cannot be extended to all of the island communities along the west coast and beyond.

As I mentioned, transport and communications have improved. We need to recognise that we live in a more modern and progressive country and one that can facilitate voting on the same day as that of those on the mainland. We also need to send a clear message to island communities that we value their way of life and that we want to respect, maintain and support it. This has been sought for many years. They want to be treated the same and they should be treated the same. They are the same. They are as equal as any of us regardless of where they live.

Fianna Fáil remains a fierce defender of our islands and recognises the immense cultural value they bring to our nation. Living in these geographically remote locations brings a set of unique challenges. From dealing with some of the islanders off the coast of Mayo, I know that even simple things such as waste collection, transport to and from school and all the things that we take for granted when we live on the mainland are difficult for those living in island communities. They require supports, but they are hugely resourceful communities that never complain. They help themselves more than some people living in mainland communities. They very much appreciate all of the assistance that they do get, although in my view they do not get enough. They recognise that their numbers are few and in some communities are dwindling and sometimes it can be very difficult for them to have their voices heard and to ensure they are listened to in this Chamber.

The Bill will go a long way towards telling these communities that we care, that we listen and that we are interested in passing legislation that benefits island communities and helps them to maintain their way of life and stay as residents on those islands. If the day ever comes that those communities vacate those islands, we will be the ones that are sorry. I reiterate my support for the Bill and hope that we get cross-party support from around the Chamber because this is good legislation.

Deputy Charlie McConalogue

I join with my colleagues in supporting the Bill and commend, in particular, Deputy Ó Cuív for his commitment to the Bill, which is consistent with his tremendous commitment to island communities in his capacity as a Deputy and, previously, as a Minister. I know the Deputy has been pushing this legislation over the past couple of years. He first proposed such a Bill in May 2014, but it was not passed at that stage. However, Deputy Ó Cuív has been tremendously persistent in terms of following through on an amendment and a reform which he believes, and I concur, is long overdue to our island communities and one that makes eminent sense.

As a Deputy from Donegal, I know that it is a move that would be very much welcomed. We have approximately 750 registered voters on the islands. In each election, voting takes place on Tory, Gola, Arranmore, Inishbofin and Inishfree. Unfortunately, too often it is seen at national level as a novelty or colour story the day before a general election. We can always be sure the media will be there. In some ways it is useful for tourism purposes because there are great pictures. We can be sure the regional correspondents will turn up and take the ferries out and it certainly brings a bit of media attention. However, it also shows the islands as being apart from the mainland. It shows they are required to stick to a tradition which was absolutely necessary in the past but is, thankfully, no longer necessary today. It is now an inconvenience for them, but also one that, in a way, detaches them. Too often they feel unnecessarily detached from services and what is available to those on the mainland.

With parties, Deputies and the Dáil taking a second look at the Bill, I hope it will be warmly welcomed, given strong consideration and is successful on this occasion and I hope, come the next general election, that those on the islands will be able to vote on the same day, at the same time and on the same basis as those at other polling stations throughout the country.

There are different means of achieving this objective. Deputies Chambers and Ó Cuív noted that transport links are now such that this has become eminently feasible. The infrastructural reasons for having islands vote a day earlier are no longer valid.

It has fallen to Deputy Ó Cuív to take this Bill forward, which is appropriate given that no one in this Dáil and several of those which preceded it has been more committed to the islands. Island communities, not only in County Donegal but also elsewhere, owe the Deputy a great debt of gratitude for the work he has done on their behalf. He ensured, for example, that schemes were initiated to deliver funding for services on islands that had been ignored previously. There is no doubt that these services would not have been provided were it not for the commitment, persistence and political will Deputy Ó Cuív has shown.

I hope this minor reform, albeit one that would mean a great deal to island communities, will progress through the various legislative Stages. I urge the Minister to respond positively to the Bill and ensure it is implemented in good time for the next vote, whether a general or local election or a referendum. We want the media stories to be of regional correspondents travelling by boat to the islands to show how island communities will, for the first time, vote on the same day and on the same timeline as everybody else.

I commend the Bill to the House.

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (Deputy Simon Coveney)

The Government will support the Bill. I understand the reasons Deputy Ó Cuív has introduced it and I am aware that he spends much time on islands off the west coast. I spend as much time as I can on islands off the south coast. The purpose of the legislation is to recognise that time has moved on in terms of access to islands. While acknowledging that people living on islands should have the same rights as people living on the mainland, living on an island is not the same as living on the mainland. Sometimes issues arise, for example, with bad weather causing ferries to be delayed or cancelled. This time last year, for example, ferries in Galway Bay were cancelled for two days in early December because of inclement weather. Access is sometimes an issue.

With this Bill, Deputy Ó Cuív is, I believe, asking whether it is still appropriate that legislation should provide for up to five days of early voting prior to elections. I will discuss the issue of transporting ballot boxes to count stations in a moment. The core issue, however, is that the role of social media and the media in general in elections means that a great deal happens in the final 24 or 48 hours of election campaigns. It is no longer appropriate, therefore, that the 2,583 people currently listed on the register of voters for seven islands off County Cork, five islands off County Galway, three islands off County Mayo and five islands off County Donegal should be in a different category in terms of the information available to them when voting in a general or presidential election.

This decision will have consequences and we must be aware that it involves risk factors. From that perspective, the Government reserves the right to introduce some amendments to the Bill. The legislation does not cover European and local elections. If this change is being made, it should apply to all elections.

Issues also arise from the requirement that ballot boxes be at count stations by 9 a.m. on the morning after an election. If the priority is to ensure that people on islands can vote on polling day and have the same information as everybody else before casting their vote, we must also recognise that there may be consequences to having an election on a day in December, January or February. For example, severe storms could come in along the west coast on election day. We do not want to create unnecessary danger in terms of access to the island to ensure compliance with the law.

The Bill does not propose to change section 86 of the Electoral Act 1992, which allows presiding officers on islands to open the poll late if there is a good reason for doing so. Provided the poll has been opened for at least four hours, the presiding officer may make a decision to close the poll early to get a ballot box back to the mainland. Despite all the modern connectivity that is available on islands, whether helicopter or ferry access, we must recognise that the weather can sometimes be so ferocious as to make it difficult to access the mainland quickly and easily.

If the core issue is ensuring that people living on islands can vote on the same day as everybody else, I am with the Deputy on that. However, we need to have some flexibility and recognition regarding circumstances in which a severe storm on polling day might cause difficulties transporting ballot papers to the count. While these will be exceptional circumstances, legislation must offer the flexibility necessary to deal with such circumstances.

Last February, polling in the general election took place before polling day on the mainland in the case of the islands off counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway. Polling on the islands off County Cork was held on the same day. They are clearly ahead of the pack. This pattern was also followed for the 2015 referendums and 2014 local and European elections. The position before that was somewhat different.

Having been on Oileán Chléire, Sherkin Island and Bear Island on many occasions, I believe the populations living on these islands will recognise that the Bill is a move in the right direction. It is an important point of principle for them that they are being treated the same as everybody else. While the State must put in place arrangements to ensure that this legislation works, it should not beyond our capacity to do so.

In the context of islands generally, no political party has a monopoly of care for our islands. The previous Government specifically sought, for the first time under the Common Agricultural Policy, to help island communities by encouraging them to farm, keep livestock and so on. That process has worked well. Likewise, we introduced some new initiatives under the Common Fisheries Policy to encourage a new type of inshore artisan fishery and to promote and support many of the smaller operators. We invested significant resources in helping them to be more effective in that context. Priority must continue to be given to people who are living in very different and sometimes challenging conditions on islands. The core issue is that we need to keep people on the islands. If people leave island communities, the houses there will be turned into summer holiday homes and residences, which will mean people will no longer live on the islands for 12 months of the year. If we move away from that, it will be difficult to recreate it.

We have valuable communities, great characters and valuable Gaeltacht areas. Island communities are an important part of rural, maritime and coastal life in Ireland, as my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne, with responsibility for supporting and protecting these communities, knows only too well.

The Government will support this legislation, although we will need to tease out and have a practical discussion on some of the consequences of what is proposed in it. The core issue is that we are responding to the case being made that people living on islands should vote on the same day as everybody else and, when they vote, should have available to them all the information available to everybody else. As far as I am concerned, regardless of whether the number of people involved is 2,500 or 10,500, the principle is the same. We will need to put in place arrangements, perhaps, by way of amendments, to ensure there is legal flexibility to deal with the move to managing a vote fairly for everybody and to streamline the count process. For example, we will need to ensure that a presidential election count is not delayed because of delays in getting ballot boxes to count stations from an offshore island.

I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for this legislation and I look forward to teasing out the issues on Committee Stage. I presume the Bill will move now to the pre-legislative scrutiny process but I suspect we can move it through the process relatively quickly to ensure we have legislation in place by the time the next election takes place.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

I accept it will have to go through the pre-legislative scrutiny process but I presume the principle of the legislation is not in dispute.

Deputy Simon Coveney

There is no dispute from Government in relation to it.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

I accept that.

Deputy Simon Coveney

We just need to ensure we guard against some of the practical consequences of it. While the Deputy can rest assured that we will help him to get this Bill through the various Stages and enacted, some targeted amendments will be required to ensure it functions properly.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

Go raibh maith agat.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Tá mé iontach sásta a bheith ag caint ar an mBille seo. Molaim an tAire. Ní hé, ní an tAire atá ann. Is é sin an dara huair. Caithfidh go bhfuil rud éigin san uisce.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Eugene Murphy)

Deputy Ó Cuív is destined to become a Minister again.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

Molaim an Teachta Ó Cuív, ba chóir dom a rá. Nuair a bhí achan duine ag caint faoin méid is a bhí sé ag déanamh don oileán, bhíomar ag smaoineamh ar an am a bhí sé ina Aire.

Déarfainn le hachan duine, go háirithe iad siúd atá sa Rialtas le dornán blianta anuas, RTÉ a chur ar siúl oíche Déardaoin ag 10.15 i.n. agus amharc ar an scannán "Atlantic". B'fhéidir nach mbeidh baill an Rialtais ag déanamh an oiread sin bolscaireachta ó thaobh an méid tacaíochta a thugann an Rialtas do mhuintir na n-oileáin nuair a fheiceann siad céard atá ag tarlú ansin i gcúrsaí iascaireachta, go háirithe do mhuintir Árainn Mhór amach ó chósta Dhún na nGall, atá le feiceáil sa scannán sin. Mholfainn do dhuine ar bith atá ag éisteacht amharc ar an scannán sin atá ag dul amach ar RTÉ Déardaoin.

É sin ráite, níl dabht ar bith gur chéim chun tosaigh é seo anocht. Sular tháinig mé isteach sa Dáil inniu, bhí mé ag amharc siar ar cén uair a thosaigh mé féin ag ardú na ceiste seo. An chéad díospóireacht ina rinne mé tagairt dó ná in 2011, i ndiaidh mé a bheith tofa sa bhfothoghchán ag deireadh 2010. Bhíomar ag plé na ceiste seo leis an Aire an t-am sin. Tá a fhios agam gur chuir an Teachta Ó Cuív leasuithe síos faoi seo, fiú amháin sa Bhille deireanach, a bhí iar-Theachta Ann Phelan ag glacadh freagrachta dó mar Aire Stáit. Níorbh ansin ach anuraidh, 2015. Bhí an bheirt againn anseo ag cur na hargóinte chun tosaigh. Tá cuid mhór den mhéid atá cloiste ag an Aire Stáit ón Teachta Ó Cuív agus den mhéid atá le rá agam féin curtha chun tosaigh againn mar argóintí cheana. Bhíodh an Rialtas ag rá, "No". Is maith an rud go bhfuil athrú intinne ann anois, ach ní chóir dúinn a bheith ag rá, "Bhuel, fair play don Rialtas" toisc sin. Bheadh an Rialtas ag cailliúnt an vóta seo in aon chor, mar tá sé ciallmhar anois, bhí sé ciallmhar nuair a bhíomar á phlé anuraidh agus bhí sé ciallmhar nuair a bhí mé féin á phlé in 2011.

Mar a dúirt mé go mion is go minic sa Teach seo, sílim go bhfuil cearta bunreachtúla mhuintir na n-oileán á sárú ag an Rialtas. Ní hamháin nach bhfuil an deis acu an vóta a chaitheamh ar an lá céanna, ach de shiocair an moill a bhí ar oifigigh an Stáit an dáta a ainmniú do na hoileáin, ní raibh an deis ag cuid de mhuintir na n-oileán vóta a chaitheamh tríd an bpost. Bhí an bearna ansin de 12 lá, taobh amuigh de Dé Domhnaigh agus laethanta saoire, thart sula raibh a fhios ag muintir na n-oileán cén lá ar a raibh an vóta le caitheamh ar an oileán. Thiocfadh le duine a rá gur chóir go mbeadh a fhios acu, ach athraíonn na dátaí an t-am ar fad. Luadh é le mo chontae féin, Contae Thír Chonaill, an contae is mó atá thíos leis ina bhfuil cúig oileán nach bhfuil an ceart acu an vóta a chaitheamh ar an lá céanna: Toraigh, Inis Fraoigh, Inis Bó Finne, Gabhla agus Árainn Mhór. In 2011, bhí naonúr ar chlár an vóta in Inis Fraoigh, ach bhí níos mó ná 500 duine ar Árainn Mhór. Tá cuid acu iontach beag le pobal beag ann, ach cuid acu tá pobal iontach mór ann. Tá dhá bhothán votála in Árainn Mór.

In 2011, bhí ar mhuintir Árann Mhóir vóta a chaitheamh fá choinne an toghcháin ghinearálta dhá lá roimh an toghchán féin. I mbliana in 2016, lá amháin a bhí ann. Bhí rudaí ag athrú agus ní raibh cinnteacht ar bith cén lá a bheadh ann. An rud a tharlódh ná go dtitfeadh an Dáil agus bheadh an ordú tugtha gurb é seo an lá leis an vóta a chaitheamh de ghnáth, mar a dúirt an Teachta Ó Cuív. Dé hAoine a bheadh ann, mar shampla. Ní bheadh a fhios ag muintir an oileáin an mbeadh siadsan ag caitheamh a vótaí Déardaoin nó Dé Céadaoin. Má tá duine ar shiúl as baile, ag iascaireacht nó rud éigin mar sin agus ag iarraidh dul ar chlár an vótá poist, níl siad ábalta é a dhéanamh mar go gcaithfidh sé a rá go soiléir sa bhfoirm sin go bhfuil siad ag siúl as baile ar an lá atá an vóta le caitheamh. Muna bhfuil an fhios acu cén lá atá an vóta le caitheamh, ní féidir leo cur isteach ar an liosta. Is é sin an fáth a shílim go bhfuil an Rialtas ag cur in éadan cearta bunreachtúla an phobail sin.

Mar a dúirt mé, is dea-scéal é go bhfuil an Rialtas sásta aontú leis an mBille seo. Níor tháinig athrú millteanach ar an saol le bliain anuas agus níor tháinig athrú millteanach ar an saol ónar thosaigh mise ag ardú an ábhair seo in 2011. Nuair a théim isteach i bhfoirgneamh Raidió na Gaeltachta thuas sna Doirí Beaga, tá pictiúrí ar an mballa. Tá sean-phictiúir galánta de dhuine de chuid Raidió na Gaeltachta, Conall Ó Dubhthaigh, ag dul ar an mbád ar a bhealach isteach go dtí ceann de na hoileáin. Tá sé ag cur báistí agus tá canvas nó rud éigin thar an bosca vótála. Is é sin an áit gur chóir go mbeadh an cineál ruda sin fágtha - sa sean-am. Ní chóir go mbeadh muintir na n-oileán ag vótáil roimh mhuintir na mórtíre. Má amharctar ar na díospóireachtaí móra a bhí againn nuair a thoghadh ár n-Uachtarán agus an rud mór a tharla i stáisiún RTÉ nuair a dúirt iarrthóir amháin go raibh sé ag glacadh airgid ó chonraitheoirí, d'athraigh sé intinn chuid mhór daoine. Dá dtarlódh sé sin dhá lá amach as lá an vóta, bheadh an vóta fós caite mar a bhí ag go leor daoine ar an oileán.

Cuirim fáilte roimh athrú intinne an Rialtais. Tá súil agam go leanann sé ar aghaidh agus go gcuireann muid níos mó polasaithe atá dearfach ó thaobh na n-oileán i bhfeidhm. Ceann de na rudaí atá muidne i Sinn Féin ag rá le tamall fada, agus dúramar é seo roimh an toghchán, ná gur cheart go mbeadh clár cearta ag muintir na n-oileáin. Is rud iontach simplí é sin. Mar atá a fhios againn, níl na cearta céanna ag duine ina chónaí ar oileán nó a tháinig as oileán is atá ag daoine ar an mhórthír. Is é seo ceann de na cearta atáimid ag cur ina cheart leis an reachtaíocht seo. Ba chóir go mbeadh caipéis ann faoi chearta mhuintir na n-oileán.

Ansin, ní bheadh orthu troid le Rialtas i ndiaidh Rialtais fá choinne cearta simplí.

Mar a dúirt mé, is dea-scéal é go bhfuil an Rialtas ag glacadh leis an mBille seo. I am sure the Minister has followed much of my contribution. It is a welcome development. I have raised it since 2011, just after getting elected. I am passionate about this. The Government and many Governments down the line were open to a High Court challenge because of the rules on registration for a postal vote. One had to do so 12 days before polling day, with Sundays and bank holidays excluded. Owing to the delay in designating polling days for many of the islands, there is a problem. It does not happen at the same time. Sometimes it takes more than a week before an island knows the designated day. Islanders could be outside the timeframe that would allow them to say they would be in Dublin working with their employer on the Thursday or Wednesday if it were to be designated as the polling day. Therefore, they cannot legally get to vote. Voting is one of the most fundamental and basic rights. Nobody has ever taken a case. Thankfully, the legislation is now dealing with this issue.

The Minister referred to the details. Deputy Ó Cuív has left in the legislation the provision that allows for the shorter days. That is sensible. We need to be practical. If anything, islanders are practical. Off the coast in my county, Donegal, there are five affected islands. Toraigh, Inis Bó Finne, Gola and Inishfree have only a four-hour window for voting, that is, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Aranmore has a longer window because of the size of its population. That window is from 10.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Again, voting finishes earlier than on the mainland. This would assist in getting the boxes back to the mainland but what has happened to communities for many years is an injustice and does not make any sense.

I never understood why the Government resisted attempts in this regard when we were amending legislation that went through the Houses last year and previous years. The same type of legislation as in this Bill was presented but, for some reason, the Government could not accept it. This is just a simple matter. There are enough problems in the world, our little country and people's lives without making more. This is a simple matter we should have fixed a long time ago. It will not cause any major upset. If the Air Corps cannot get the box off the island, so be it; we will just have to wait a wee bit. The islanders should have the same rights and entitlements as everybody else.

I welcome the fact that the Government has decided to support this legislation, albeit later than we would have liked. I am glad it will work to see all Stages passed. That is the right approach. If the Government had the numbers, I am not convinced it would be passing this legislation, just as it did not pass similar legislation last year.

Deputy Simon Coveney

The Deputy is wrong in that.

Deputy Pearse Doherty

I am glad to hear that. Maybe it was just the Labour Party influence in government just less than a year ago that resulted in a Cabinet decision not to support the amendments. The Bill is a positive step forward; there is no doubt about that.

There is no automatic requirement for any legislation to be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny. I acknowledge there are issues with the Bill. I believe they are minor but they require amendment, as in the case of local and European elections and the ballot box having to be available at a certain time the following day. Those matters can be dealt with on Committee Stage. The Bill is short and focused and I am sure it has universal support here. Tying up a committee with pre-legislative scrutiny is not warranted in this case. One never knows but that there could be an election before the Minister or Deputy Ó Cuív desires. My intention is to make sure the people of Gola, Toraigh, Inishfree, Inis Bó Finne and Aranmore not only vote for me but do so on the same day as the rest of the people, those on the mainland, vote for me.

Acting Chairman (Deputy Eugene Murphy)

The Deputy has started canvassing already.

Deputy Paul Murphy

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.

An Ceann Comhairle

Next is Deputy Connolly, who proposes to share with Deputy Pringle.

Deputy Catherine Connolly

Níl drogall ar bith orm mo chuid tacaíochta a thabhairt don Bhille seo. Molaim an Teachta Ó Cuív as ucht é a thabhairt os comhair na Dála. Téann an Bille simplí cruinn seo i ngleic leis an fhadhb a bhaineann leis an deighilt atá cruthaithe idir mhuintir na n-oileáin agus muintir na mórtíre. Ní raibh an deighilt sin cothrom ná cóir riamh. Tá mé sásta go bhfuilimid ar tí deireadh a chur leis. Tá sé neamhghnách, ach ba mhaith liom an Rialtas a mholadh ós rud é go bhfuil sé toilteanach gan dul i gcoinne an Bhille seo. Is dea-scéal agus is rud maith é sin. Thug focail an Aire, nuair a dúirt sé go mbeidh sé sásta glacadh leis an mBille seo má dhéantar leasuithe éagsúla, ardú meanma dom. Caithfidh mé a rá, áfach, nach bhfuil mé roshásta go dtuigeann an Rialtas i gceart cé chomh deacair is atá an saol do mhuintir oileáin na tíre seo go ginearálta. Tá sé sin soiléir ón bpraiseach atá déanta ó thaobh cúrsaí iompar poiblí go hÁrainn. I dteannta leis an mBille seo, tá gá práinneach le polasaí nua inmharthana ó thaobh mhuintir oileáin na tíre seo. Tá súil agam go bhfuil tús an phróisis nua maidir leis na hoileáin uilig ar fud na tíre i gceist anseo.

Deputy Thomas Pringle

I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this debate. I congratulate Deputy Ó Cuív on introducing this worthwhile Bill. Interestingly, previous Governments refused any amendment that would have changed voting times on the islands. It should not be an issue in this day and age, given the availability of modern transport. For example, a helicopter travels to Tory Island every day during the winter months. There is no reason, and has been none for many years, that voting cannot take place on the islands on the national polling day whenever the next election is called. Indeed, that islanders must vote in advance of the rest of the population has been a bone of contention for many years. A couple of elections ago, islanders voted on a Wednesday when the election was taking place on a Friday. It made no sense.

We should have made this decision before now, but it is good to see this Bill. The five islands in Donegal where voting occurs - Tory, Gola, Inishfree, Inishbofin and Arranmore - look forward to being able to vote on election day. That is vital. Nothing in the Electoral Acts mean that the islands cannot vote on the assigned polling day.

The Bill will pass on to Committee Stage, when I will take the opportunity to raise a matter that I have referenced a number of times, namely, the ability of fishermen to vote. They are in a unique situation. They can register for postal voting, but they may be fishing when their votes must be posted and, as such, would not be able to do so. They could be ashore on polling day only to find that they could not vote because they had registered as postal voters. We should be able to find a mechanism that allows them in the week or ten days before polling day to cast their votes in local Garda stations where ballot papers and ballot boxes would be available so that they might participate fully in the electoral process.

I will offer a selfish anecdote in this regard. I remember how 14 or 15 fishermen from Killybegs went to sea the day before one polling day. Their votes were lost, not only for me, but for everyone. Due to their occupation, fishermen cannot rely on being ashore when voting must take place. I will consider proposing amendments on Committee Stage to try to rectify this situation.

I welcome this important Bill. That it is being accepted is a positive step. I look forward to its enactment, hopefully in time for the next general election, so that we will see the islands across Donegal and the rest of the nation voting on polling day along with everyone else.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is é an Teachta Mattie McGrath an chéad urlabhraí eile.

Deputy Mattie McGrath

Apologies for being out of breath. I support the Bill and compliment An Teachta Ó Cuív. This is only about fair play. We hear much about equal rights, human rights and everything else, so why should island populations be discriminated against? They are entitled to have their say just like everyone else. We encourage them to do so. It is important that they have it at the same time as everyone who casts his or her vote. Given that this is a small country with a limited number of islands, the Bill is badly needed.

I am slightly disappointed, as An Teachta Ó Cuív could have included the issue of disabled access to polling booths in the Bill. Islanders are disenfranchised because they do not have votes on the islands, but some people in my constituency cannot vote because polling booths are not readily accessible. In November, I encouraged people to register before the closing date. I always try to do that so that they can have their say. I also ask them to pass on information regarding whatever special requirements they might have. The powers that be, the councils and those responsible, might not be aware. Even where they are aware, people have still needed to request special access election after election. That is not right. If someone is in a wheelchair for one election, he or she will not be out of it for the next thanks to some miracle treatment. These people need to be looked after. It is a question of our democracy, having the right and chance to vote and having equal access.

I am also considering legislation. On the day that the former Minister, Mr. Phil Hogan, banished the local democracy of our town, urban and borough district councils, no Deputy objected to the Bill except me. People spoke on it, but no vote was called. It was a major disenfranchisement and had an impact on people in the areas involved. For example, my area of Clonmel and other towns in Tipperary lost their councils. People had rightful expectations. We voted in local elections in 2009. On the same day, we voted to hold such elections every five years. At that stage, they had been put off for eight years. I lost my seat in 2001 and would have had to wait until 2009 to run again. This has been covered by legislation.

I know I am straying a small bit, but with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I might continue as we are ahead of time. We were told it would be put into legislation. People voted to have local elections for urban district and town councils. People had the expectation that the system would be changed and that at least there would be a vote. I brought up the issue in the context of the programme for Government. Bhí an tAire Stáit, Deputy Kyne, anseo freisin at the talks and it was supposed to be in the programme that we would look at restoring the borough councils in the first instance. There were only nine of them in the country and we wanted to increase the number to 11. It was decided that there would be a plebiscite in those areas, and if people wanted them back, they would vote for them but there would be no cost to the State. That was a fair and reasonable position and I would like to know the status of it now. Perhaps we need other legislation.

Thank you for your forbearance, a Cheann Comhairle. I will defer to my colleague, Deputy Michael Collins, who is more familiar with the islands as he has to travel to them every so often to meet his flock, but that is probably the wrong word - his constituents.

Deputy Michael Collins

I welcome Deputy Ó Cuív's Bill which will ensure all islanders will be allowed to vote on the same day as the rest of the country. I am very pleased to see there is a political interest in island communities and the issues that matter to their residents. The islands are very important to the country in terms of their beauty, tourism, culture, arts, heritage and natural resources. I hope tonight's debate will spark increased interest in the islands and the needs of their communities, such as the need for high speed broadband, improvements to education, a ring-fenced annual infrastructural fund, and a unified health care strategy.

Although the Bill does not affect the islands in my constituency, as Bere Island, Cape Clear island, Dursey Island, Heir island, Whiddy Island, Long Island and Sherkin island already vote on the same day as the mainland, the Bill is very important for the islands on the west and north-west coast. Voters living on those islands in Galway, Mayo, and Donegal traditionally voted two or three days before polling day, but in 2014 the gap was narrowed when they voted just one day beforehand. I fully support the gap being closed altogether and allowing the islanders to vote on the same day as the rest of the country. While the goal of early voting is usually to increase voter participation and relieve congestion at polling stations on election day, the opposite seems to be the case with island communities. The early voting legislation is outdated and no longer applicable. Early voting for island communities can deprive those who are not ordinarily resident on the islands, such as students, the opportunity to vote. It is very difficult for young people from the islands studying on the mainland to return home on a Thursday to vote, and often that results in them not voting. This outdated legislation could be seen as discriminatory and could also be considered as damaging to the democratic process. Issues concerning travel and transport of the votes are no longer applicable as most islands have brilliant ferry services and some also have air services. It is important that the Government supports the ferry and air services not just for elections but throughout the year as they provide a priceless service to islanders and help to keep islands sustainable.

I have seen excellent work throughout many of the islands in west Cork, for example, in Cape Clear and on Dursey Island where they fight to keep their cable car and to get it upgraded. Housing is also an issue on the islands. I attended a meeting recently on Bere Island where people spoke about the need for a housing programme. We never think of the islands when we talk about housing. We think of relocating people to the mainland. Those are serious issues for islanders and I support the positive move behind the Bill. Islanders throughout the country will be happy with it. I support the Bill progressing through the House.

Deputy Eamon Ryan

I am very honoured to be able to make a short contribution to this debate. I am very pleased that Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív has introduced the Bill as we have a common interest in many of the islands. I remember opening a pier in Inis Meáin when I was previously in government. I am also familiar with Inishbofin where I would be shamed forever if I did not get to speak on the introduction of the Bill.

We support the Bill and the development of the islands. They are hugely significant places in the national psyche and culture. In some ways that is the case because they are measurable. The very nature of the geographic limits that exist on islands mean the communities are in some way set aside and it behoves us to look after them and to develop them as an example of what we can do in every community in the country. The proposed Bill is important in terms of how we treat islanders in the democratic electoral system, but it should be symbolic of a wider investment that we are willing to make.

It behoves us in particular to look at how we can create work on the islands that would allow their communities to grow. The population on too many islands has shrunk. There has been a consistent decline in island populations in the past 150 years. If we could turn that around and show how we could create an economic model of development on the islands, it could provide us with a model we could use elsewhere.

I know very well the island of Inishbofin off the Galway coast, not the Donegal Inishbofin. It is an interesting place. The great Green economist, Richard Douthwaite, who knew the island, always saw it as an example of how we could measure sustainability. In a sense, one can measure everything going on and coming off the island. The islands were very self-sufficient until recent years but now they import a huge amount of their basic needs for everyday life. We must investigate how we could turn the islands into models of sustainable economic development and create a mixture of jobs in tourism, fishing, farming and digital services where distance does not become an issue. We could measure and be scientific in devising a model that could apply in every community, in particular in the west, south west and north west. We must invest in that but we must be clever in the investment. It is a case of investment in people more than anything else. Island people have great capability and flexibility. They can turn their hand to a whole variety of different tasks. I refer to fixing things, engineering, farming, fixing engines and looking after visitors all in the one day. We must nurture, develop and protect the skills island people have.

I am very pleased to say a few words on behalf of the Green Party in support of what Deputy Ó Cuív is trying to do. I look forward to the growing prosperity of the islands. We live on the west coast of Europe, the very edge of Europe, but we must not see it as the periphery, the backward end of Europe but the cutting edge of Europe. The islands are a fantastic place to live and there is a very strong, welcoming culture. We must get this right because it could be a symbol for how the island as a whole could be developed. We are all island people. Looking after the islands is the first step in looking after the entire island of Ireland.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I wish to share time with Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher.

An Ceann Comhairle

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I congratulate Deputy Ó Cuív on tabling this motion. His timing turned out to be quite prescient when one considers the events that happened on Inis Mór last weekend. The issue of voting highlights the isolation of the islands and the events of last weekend show that it is not just something that happens at election time and that the isolation of islands can be a factor at any given moment, in particular at this time of year.

It always strikes me as odd that islanders go to polling stations in many cases three or four days before polling day. It means they miss the last few days of a campaign and the notion of having a media moratorium is a complete joke given there is no moratorium to allow islanders time to think about their choice free from the barrage of media coverage of any given election. The time has come to give the flexibility to returning officers to make the call, that if conditions are conducive then the people of the islands can vote on the day of the election like people in any other part of the country.

As a country we do not treat islanders particularly well, which is ironic as we are an island nation. The proposer of this motion can take enormous credit for the role he played as Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and as Aire Stáit do ghnóthaí Gaeltachta.

He is somebody who put his money where his mouth is in terms of investing in islands and island communities and trying to put some sort of sustainable basis in place for communities to grow. It is to his credit that many of the infrastructural investments and social decisions were taken to sustain island communities but we need once again to renew our interest in the islands. I welcome some of the announcements in the budget, particularly in respect of education and reversing some of the worst cuts made by the previous Government.

I caught the end of Deputy Eamon Ryan's speech. We have to lay out a sustainable future for our islands, be it in tourism, some form of fishing or some type of new enterprise that could use wind energy as a basis for island-produced power and to export any excess energy. This debate is giving us the opportunity to reflect on the islands and their economic future.

It also gives us a chance to talk about voting and voting systems. On a dark February night during the general election, I was taken aback by the number of polling stations I visited after 6 p.m. that were very difficult to access because there were no outside lights. If we, as candidates, find polling stations difficult to access, how do voters, including older people, find them? During the rush-hour period from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., many polling stations are quite dangerous as cars converge in the dark of the night. The time has come to lay out a basic standard for polling stations that will apply at all times of the day in terms of their exteriors and interiors, to which we pay a lot of attention. It is bizarre to think that we have rules that say one cannot put up a poster outside a polling station, yet we do not have rules to say that there should be exterior lights to allow voters to see where they are going as they enter. It is bizarre to think that one is not allowed to take a photograph in a polling station but that one must use the light on one's phone in order to make one's entry. We seem to have the rules in the wrong places. The time has come to ask why we still use schools as default polling stations. Why do we close down our entire school system for a day when there are community halls, post offices and other facilities available? I am sure that with that kind of income for a day, post offices in rural areas would open their premises and allow available space to be used as an appropriate polling station.

Be it on an island or on the mainland, there are many issues with our voting system. We need a national voting authority. The notion of every local authority having responsibility for voting within its area is ancient. In respect of a national system with registration being far easier and the use of online technology in terms of registration, I still prefer the peann luaidhe, as a former Taoiseach put it, in terms of voting and counting but we must embrace the 21st century in terms of how we vote - not just for island communities but elsewhere. As an island nation, we cannot stand up for our rights and complain that we are ignored when we ignore those islands off our own coast on a daily basis.

Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher

Ba mhaith liom tréaslú le mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív, as ucht an Bhille 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 hurlabhraithe 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 Dhún na nGall Thiar-Theas agus anois tá siad i nDáilcheantar Dhún na nGall. Sin an Dáilcheantar do Dhún na nGall seachas Béal Átha Seanaidh agus Bun Dobhráin. Cúis iontais domsa thar na blianta go raibh ar mhuintir na n-oileán dul amach chun a vóta a chaitheamh cúpla lá roimh an toghchán ar an mhórthír. 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.

Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Deputy Seán Kyne)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an mBille seo agus an obair atá déanta ag an Teachta Ó Cuív chun an Bille seo a ullmhú. Tá sé ag smaoineamh agus ag labhairt faoin ábhar seo ar feadh na mblianta agus táim sásta go bhfuil an Rialtas ag glacadh leis an mBille.

I commend Deputy Ó Cuív on his preparation of and work on this Bill and on his interest in the issue. As the Minister stated, there will be a need to introduce amendments on Committee Stage in respect of the fact that the Bill does not provide for the discontinuation of early voting in the case of European and local elections. Obviously, the central reason behind allowing early voting was weather conditions and the view that ballot boxes had to be returned to constituency count centres by 9 a.m. on the morning following polling day.

That is the reason these things were introduced all those years ago.

As Deputy Ó Cuív stated, there have been improvements in the ferry services to the islands in recent years, notwithstanding what has happened recently - I will mention that in a minute. Obviously, Deputy Ó Cuív made considerable investment when he was a Minister. I am happy the Government has been able to allocate €8 million for Inis Oírr, starting with an allocation of €2 million in 2017. The Taoiseach has taken a great interest in that project and wants to go there for the turning of the sod as soon as possible. We must remember the Galway County Council director of services Liam Gavin who died tragically recently. I know he had overall responsibility for the area of roads, transportation and the marine.

Same-day voting has taken place on the islands off the Cork coast for some years. On the islands off the coast of Galway, Mayo and Donegal, polling has taken place on the day before polling day in the most recent elections, February's general election, the 2015 referendums and the 2014 local and European Parliament elections. This is a sensible change to reflect the modernisation of transportation services.

I was interested in some of the points Deputy Calleary raised about the quality of polling stations. There are often newspaper notifications of a number of polling stations that are not accessible and wheelchair users need to go elsewhere, which given all the regulations in this day and age should be ruled out. It is also eminently sensible to have basic outdoor lighting at any polling stations. Obviously, most of the polling stations are schools and I would have thought they would have had such lighting irrespective of their use as polling stations as they are also used for public meetings, get-togethers, playing 25 or whatever goes on there. Perhaps the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, can take that up. As part of Deputy Ó Cuív's original CLÁR programme there was investment in school flashing lights and the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, made further announcements recently.

On the issue of the peann luaidhe and electronic voting, I believe someone in Russia once said that it was not the people who vote that matters, but the people who count the votes. Irrespective of whether that is the case, in certain counties in Wisconsin where there was electronic voting there was a higher vote for the winning candidate than there was in counties that did not use electronic means. I have my suspicion about it, but I think our system works well in that regard.

Regarding Deputy Gallagher's comments on the islands, clearly there is a need for extra funding and I was pleased to be able to allocate €600,000 from the Department to improving roads on our islands and I hope to be able to continue that into the future.

There has been some commentary about the situation in Inis Mór. It was not a lack of money or anything in my Department that resulted in the cancellation of the ferry. The Department does not have a contract because it was negotiated that the operator was to provide a service to that island without a subsidy because it is a profitable route. Without going through all the history, the issue related to charges and running costs by Galway County Council on the new pier. Thankfully, talks I had with the CEO, Kevin Kelly, the operators and Bertie Ó hAinmhire from an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta resulted in the ferry continuing until 4 January. The talks will resume on Friday to try to solve something that has been kicked around and has gone through the courts for a number of years with Galway County Council. Nothing that an Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gnóthaí Réigiúnacha, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta did resulted in the loss of the ferry to Inis Mór.

However, we need to ensure that it does not happen in the future and the islanders get the service they deserve and get certainty on a winter service. From 2017 on, we will explore grouping the three islands under one contract - irrespective of whether it is PSO. In the new year, God willing, I intend to initiate a discussion process with the island communities to see what their wishes are regarding the services for the three Aran Islands. The existing contracts for Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin conclude at the end of October 2017. As we will have to start a process for them, we will see about amalgamating the three islands under one contract.

The air service has been mentioned. The Office of Government Procurement is in the process of examining tenders. I expect a recommendation to my Department regarding a contract very soon. I know there is ongoing communication between the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Government Procurement. I expect letters to go to the successful and non-successful tenderers shortly.

There have been other developments. Obviously, there is a helicopter service to Tory. The former Minister of State, Dinny McGinley, put funding into a new helipad, which I believe will be complete with lighting provided in the new year. We hope to have an official opening of that and we were happy to accommodate an improved service there in conjunction with the HSE whereby there was a service once a fortnight in the winter, which has now been increased to once a week. That is a welcome development.

The premise of Deputy Ó Cuív's Bill is that islanders should have the same rights as those elsewhere with which I agree. I know that the Minister, Deputy Coveney, has a great grá for the seas as Deputy Ó Cuív pointed out. When this Bill came before the Minister and he discussed it with me, he was certainly of the view that it should be accepted. Perhaps other Ministers were not of the same view, but they might not have the same feel for the situation as has the Minister, Deputy Coveney.

I certainly welcome the Bill. Will there ever be problems? Will a ballot box ever be late from here on in? I cannot say. As Deputy Gallagher said, if it results in the start of a count being delayed by an hour or so, so be it; we can live with that. The premise of the Bill is to give islanders certainty in knowing when an election is called that they will be voting on that day and not a day or two days beforehand, which is right and proper. I welcome it and congratulate Deputy Ó Cuív on initiating it.

Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív

Ba mhaith liom i dtosach báire buíochas a ghabháil le chuile dhuine a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht seo, go mórmhór na páirtithe atá tar éis a rá go bhfuil siad chun tacú leis an mBille, agus an Rialtas, atá chun tacú leis an mBille chomh maith. Mar atá ráite ag an Aire Stáit, tá beagáinín oibre breise le déanamh ar an mBille, agus déanfaimid é sin sa choiste.

Maidir leis an lá gearr vótála, creidim gur cheart dúinn b'fhéidir leasú a chur isteach nach mbeadh sé inceadaithe ach ar oileán le níos lú ná leath-chéad duine ar an gclár vótála. Bhí iontas orm a chloisteáil nach mbíonn lá iomlán vótála ar Árainn Mhór i dTír Chonaill, nuair a thógtar san áireamh go bhfuil 500 duine ar an gclár vótála ansin, dhá bhoth vótála, agus nach bhfuil sé ach deich nóiméad ón gcósta. Is mó é ná cuid mhaith boscaí ar an mhórthír. Níl cúis ar bith le sin sa lá atá inniu ann. Is cuimhin liom na seirbhísí farantóireachta a chur faoi chonradh leis an Roinn nuair a bhí mé mar Aire. Níl cúis ar bith nach dtabharfaí na boscaí isteach agus nach mbeidís ar an láthair comhairimh ag 9.00 r.n. ar maidin. Go deimhin féin, mar is eol don Aire Stáit, ní osclaítear cuid de na boscaí go dtí 10.00 r.n. nó 11.00 r.n. ar maidin ar aon chaoi.

I never hear as much talk about bad weather as I do when this case arises. I can remember times in my lifetime when Wicklow was snowed up. I cannot remember Oíche na Gaoithe Móire which happened in the middle of the 19th century. I know the first few lines of the famous poem about Oíche na Gaoithe Móire, "Ar oíche ceann an dá lá dhéag, Béidh cuimhne grinn go h-éag" so it happened on 5 January.

If that happens it will not be island votes Deputies will be worried about, they will be worried about getting the votes in from other places also. If it happens we can wait. It is very easy to write in to legislation a provision that in the case of extraordinary abnormal weather when helicopter, plane or boat cannot travel that the box does not have to be there at the required time. We might find that it is often easier to get to an island these days than to some places on the mainland. The point has been made many times by the people living in west Connemara that a person is much quicker at getting to hospital from the Aran Islands than getting to hospital from some parts of the mainland since they brought in the helicopter emergency medical service, HEMS. We will not find the practical problems and we know we will not. As I have said, the Cork islands have been doing this for a long time. It was hard to get change on this issue.

I have an email that was sent to me on 11 February 2011. Up to that time I was the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Dáil term was over and there was an election on. As Minister, I requested the voting on the islands would be held on the same day as on the mainland but it was the absolute and utter prerogative of the returning officer in each constituency. I have the record here in the email, kindly sent to me by my adviser at the time, with the numbers of the electorates on the islands. There were 760 electors in Donegal and they voted two days prior. There were 194 electors in Mayo and they voted two days prior. Galway West had 1,155 electors and they all voted a day prior. In Cork there were 466 and they voted on the same day. There is no reason to say that Cape Clear is any easier to get to than some of the other islands. As I said, in the case of the Aran Islands, Cape Clear does not have the air alternatives.

I am absolutely delighted that the Government will be accepting this Bill. I look forward to it going on to Committee Stage, or pre-legislative scrutiny. One day's pre-legislative scrutiny would probably do us. I do not think anybody from the islands or anywhere else - certainly from the debate tonight it is unlikely that anybody is going to appear out of the woodwork - will vehemently oppose this legislation. It would be nice to ask Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann in to a pre-legislative stage to make their points and see if they have any other amendments regarding electoral law pertaining to islands that they believe should be put in. Obviously, the Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Environment, Deputy Naughten, and maybe the Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, should come in also. I was delighted to hear the Minister wants to improve the Bill and he would certainly have my co-operation in doing that. A short period for pre-legislative scrutiny would do no harm. We can then agree amendments, whether they are to be introduced by the Government or by myself as the proposer of the Bill. We can then get this Bill expeditiously through the House: through Committee Stage, Report Stage and passed. I hope it would then go through the Seanad equally expeditiously and if we have done our job properly here then, please God, they will not have to make any amendments whatsoever.

I recognise that following the Minister of State's negotiations last weekend the ferry service is back to Inis Mór. I have no knowledge of what arrangements have been put in place. I am concerned that the extension of the service is only until 4 January. I hope that a more permanent solution for the year can be put in place. I believe that every island should have a contracted service. The Minister of State has indicated that he agrees with this same principle and that he is going to make sure that this would happen. Unfortunately, his two predecessors, in my view, did not cover themselves in glory with regard to the islands. There was regression around pupil-teacher ratios, there was a total absence of any capital expenditure on the islands and there was a dumbing down of contracted services to the island. I accept the Minister of State has made genuine efforts since he came in to office. I would like to see a continuous capital programme on the island. I think we need it. I know the Minister of State is committed to an chéibh ar Inis Oírr. Mar is eol dó, tá muintir Inis Meáin ag iarraidh go ndéanfaí obair ar an gcéibh ar an oileán sin. Níl obair an-mhór i gceist. Dá mbeadh €3 mhilliún nó €4 mhilliún in aghaidh na bliana curtha ar fáil ar feadh roinnt blianta, d'fhéadfaí na jabanna móra atá fós le déanamh ar na hoileáin a dhéanamh. Bhí an pleanáil do chéibh an Rannaigh i dTír Chonaill déanta nuair a bhí mise mar Aire. Tá gá leis na rudaí beaga a bhí fágtha le déanamh ag an Rialtas deireanach a dhéanamh anois agus an obair sin a chríochnú.

Is lá deas é seo. Is dócha gur bronntanas Nollag deas é do na hoileánaigh go bhfuil sé aontaithe ag Dáil Éireann go rachfaidh an Bille seo chun cinn ionas go mbeidh sé de cheart acu deis vótála a bheith acu ar an lá céanna. Is dóigh liom go mbeidh siad buíoch go mbeidh an cheart seo acu faoi dheireadh. Ba mhaith liom fear amháin a lua i dtaobh na ceiste seo. Choinnigh Séamus Jamesie Ó Flatharta ó hInis Mór i mo dhiaidh thar na blianta. Tá mé ag ceapadh gur cheap sé ag amanna go raibh mé ag déanamh dearmaid. Bhí daoine áirithe ar Inis Bó Finne agus ar fud an chósta ar an bport céanna. Mar is eol don Aire Stáit, déanann duine anseo is ansiúd níos mó ná a chion féin le ceisteanna áirithe a bhrú chun cinn agus a choinneáil beo. Coinníodh beo an cheist seo agus bainfidh go leor daoine tairbhe as.

Voting is important to people. Postal votes are important and so on, but it is fair to say that many people like, if they have the opportunity at all, to go back physically to their own place to cast their vote. You will find it very, very busy with boats and planes in to islands on the Friday evening of an election day and the turnout on the islands will be increased dramatically once we pass this legislation. I am hopeful we will not have an election in January because in February or March, if we can get this legislation through, I would like to see it in place. I am anxious for a quick election, as the Minister of State knows, but not that anxious that I cannot wait for this legislation to be in place first. I ask that he hurries up and gets it through, then we can go on with the election.

Question put and agreed to.