Fine Gael plans to use the dying days of the 29th Dáil and Seanad to press for the introduction of a law which would guarantee that elections be held on Fridays or over weekends to facilitate people travelling home to vote.
The party's environment spokesman, Fergus O'Dowd, will bring forward a Private Members' Bill in the Dáil this evening specifying that all elections in future would be held on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.
At the same time in the Seanad the party will use its Private Members' Time to introduce an almost identical motion designed to force Fianna Fáil to support the Bill or explain its opposition to Friday or weekend voting.
"Recently the Taoiseach has said that he favours Thursday voting for the general election, but he never explained why he fears Friday voting so much when it is clear that it benefits voters," Mr O'Dowd said.
"In 1999, the European and local elections were held on a Thursday with a turnout of 50.21 per cent.
"However, when the 2004 European and local elections were switched to a Friday, turnout rose dramatically to 58.58 per cent.
"With the number of people voting increasing by a sixth when polling is held on a Friday, it is clear that a return to Thursday voting would be motivated by party political concerns and an attempt to disenfranchise thousands.
"Fine Gael is committed to ensuring that all those entitled to vote are given the maximum opportunity to do so, and our Electoral (Amendment) (No 2) Bill, that we are bringing before the Dáil, will help to do this by only allowing national elections to be held on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.
"We will also make certain that Fianna Fáil cannot dodge this issue by simultaneously introducing an identical motion in the Seanad on Wednesday.
"Thursday voting will deny thousands of students and young professionals, who must travel home to their constituencies to vote, the opportunity to do so, and Fine Gael is committed to ensuring that this does not happen."
The Government parties are expected to vote against the Fine Gael Bill in the Dáil and to oppose the motion in the Seanad.
