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ISLAND DWELLERS TRADITIONALLY vote ahead of the rest of the country to prevent bad weather delaying ballot boxes being transferred to count centres.
However, Fianna Fáil’s Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2014, being debated in the Dáil tonight plans to change all that.
The bill, initiated by Éamon Ó Cuív, aims to allow islanders to vote during elections on the same day as the rest of the country.
Vote early
The party argues that it is no longer necessary for those living on the islands to vote early, due to the improvements in technology.
It’s understood the government will not oppose the bill this evening.
In this year’s general election, there were 2,133 eligible voters on the Donegal, Mayo and Galway islands.
The electorate included 516 people on Arranmore, 25 on Gola, 63 on Inishbofin (Donegal), four on Inishfree, 144 on Tory Island, 121 on Clare Island, 29 on Inishbiggle, 50 on Inishturk, 654 on Inishmore, 151 on Inishmaan, 200 on Inisheer and 176 on Inishbofin (Galway).
During elections, Air Corps helicopters pick up the boxes full of votes and ferry them to the mainland after voting.
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The fact they need to debate this and bring it in by vote says a lot. And yet important issues they can’t find any time for.
They discuss all kinds of topical issues at every sitting just look at the order paper, but talking doesn’t help anyone
But when you’re not in govt there’s v limited scope for what you can actually get done even within a hung Dail . There’s private members bills on major issues all the time the media don’t always cover them, they just get denied by the govt most of the time anyway
Its a pitty ff didn’t listen to johnathan sugarman.this is the real news where is the report journal on the Vincent brown show where serious allegations where made will under ff watch.
What difference does it make.
@Dessie Curley: Well say Dessie. America is going the opposite way, they vote weeks before the election
Improvements in technology ….Are we getting evoting machines back again?
I smell a healy rae
Surely, helicopters can be flown during bad weather (except when there’s a hurricane or typhoon, of course). After all, island ballot papers in the Scottish independence referendum were flown to the mainland straight away to facilitate overnight counting.
This from a man who had his name listed on a ballot paper as : ” Cuív, Éamon Ó ” thereby moving his name higher up the list of candidates.
In Irish you disregard the mc or o so he’s legitimately there. Though I we order did ff add that to the language
From Wikipedia: ” Ó Cuív’s surname was changed from Ó Caoimh by his grandfather Shán Ó Cuív, a Cork journalist. In the early 20th century Shán changed the spelling of his surname to conform to a simplified spelling system of his own invention which he called An Leitriú Shimplí.[4] The letter ‘v’ is extremely rare in Irish outside modern loanwords.”
Yeah he’s all about following the rules of the Irish language……..
Lovely memory there from Lisbon. Lisbon for jobs indeed .Another fg lie, in a country that in the main rejects brexit. Well the Brits are taking back their democracy.
We hardly ever knew it!! .
Meh
The islands should be able to vote early, each time there is a vote they provide an invaluable taster of what is to come. Tis all part of the excitement
Jees the crap they come up with to get us lowlife thickys to forget about Water charges …..bin charges homeless childeren………….well Mr goverment sir in not for turning….it’s our it’s out out
I have been pushing a campaign for many years that we should refuse to vote, voting only encourages our corrupt politicians
Christ allmighty can we do that ? tis all technology now john Joe …..give me a feck- – - break
About time.
‘All things being equal, give it to the Fianna fail man’
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