Fears elderly won’t use polling station

THE decision to relocate Skibbereen’s polling station for the June 7th elections has divided public opinion.

Brendan McCarthy, a local Fine Gael candidate, said people voting in the local and European elections will now have to cast their ballot at the O’Donovan Rossa GAA Pavilion outside the town.

Traditionally, Skibbereen Town Hall was used by voters living in the urban area, while Skibbereen courthouse was used by voters living in the rural area.

For the first time ever, on March 8th, the O’Donovan Rossa GAA Pavilion was used – instead of Skibbereen’s largely inaccessible courthouse – for people voting in the ‘carers and family’ referenda. Since then, it has been decided to remove the casting of ballots from Skibbereen Town Hall due to parking and traffic concerns.

Mr McCarthy said the issue is being raised a lot on the doorsteps during the canvass.

‘On the plus side, the GAA Pavilion has been recently enhanced to a very high standard and has a huge amount of parking and safe access to the building,’ he told The Southern Star.

‘On the other hand, there are older people, living in and around the centre of town, who can walk to the town hall, but would find it difficult to walk to the GAA Pavilion, and cross busy roads and junctions in the process.’