Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reasons he decided to hold the presidential election on a Thursday; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this decision will disenfranchise many voters, in particular young voters; if he will give a commitment that all future elections and referendums will be held on a Friday; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28225/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Polling at the forthcoming Presidential election and referendums will take place on Thursday 27 October 2011. Section 6 of the Presidential Elections Act 1993 and section 10 of the Referendum Act 1994 allow, respectively, for the taking of a poll at a Presidential election or referendum on any day of the week. In deciding on a particular day, a wide range of considerations are taken into account and ultimately there are advantages and disadvantages attaching to any day chosen. The flexibility in the legislation allows all relevant factors to be taken into account at any given time in setting the polling day and I have no plans to amend the legislation.

Measures have been taken in recent years to extend the categories of voters that qualify for postal voting because of their inability to vote in person at their local polling station on polling day. These include the extension of the postal vote to full-time students registered at their home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State.