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A DONEGAL senator has
warned that Irish students and workers living away
from home will be disenfranchised if the EU Reform
Treaty referendum is held on a Thursday.
Sinn Féin's Senator Pearse Doherty said the proposal
to hold the referendum on Thursday, June 12 should
be scrapped in favour of a Saturday vote.
“Bertie Ahern has indicated that Thursday, June 12
will be the date for the Lisbon Treaty referendum.
However midweek polling days are not suitable for
the many thousands of students and workers living
away from home."
Senator Doherty called for the date to be changed,
"in the name of democracy".
"A Saturday polling day would be preferable and
would ensure a much higher turnout. The planned
referendum also comes about at the time when the
Leaving Certificate examinations are due to take
place.
"For many students this may be their first
opportunity to vote and they will be eager to
exercise that right. However, if polling day is mid
week it is likely that the students will have an
exam the next day and will not want to disturb their
studying."
Senator Doherty said his party had consistently
called for elections and referenda to be held on
weekends.
"It is unfair to ask students and people working
away from home, to travel home to vote only to have
to travel back on the same day to be in work or
college the next day," he added. To view a podcast
debate between Cllr. Padraig MacLochlainn and
Minister Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher on the Lisbon
Treaty, visit
www.donegalsf.com
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