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‘Do the democratic thing Bertie’ - FG 06.04.07

Donegal Fine Gael Senator Joe McHugh has received the support of a Fianna Fail Seanad colleague in his call for the forthcoming general election to be held at the weekend.
Senator McHugh said he would forward a petition to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern calling for polling day not to be held on a Thursday as previously suggested.
“I’ve already received support from Fianna Fáil’s Mary O’Rourke who, in the Seanad this week, said she would urge the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party to oppose Thursday voting,” said Senator McHugh.
“I will also be contacting the students’ unions in the various campuses and will be looking for student leaders to back this campaign.”
The general election candidate for Donegal North East, also urged the Fianna Fáil leader to support a FG Private Members Bill that would ensure elections are held on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
"If the Taoiseach is really serious about democracy he must ensure that all the people entitled to vote will have the right and opportunity to do so.
“An election held on a Thursday will disenfranchise many people in Donegal, particularly students attending universities in the North who are not eligible for a postal vote.”
Senator McHugh said he hoped the new Northern Assembly Education Minister could also remedy this problem and facilitate students from the Republic who wanted to exercise their franchise on polling day.

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