David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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782. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if an Irish student studying outside the State can qualify for a postal vote; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37103/18]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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800. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to accommodate Irish citizens who may be undertaking studies abroad for a specific period with a postal vote provided certain conditions are met; the reason it only applies to students living and undertaking courses of study within the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37546/18]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 782 and 800 together.

Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of a limited number of categories of electors who may be living outside the State - whole-time members of the Defence Forces, members of An Garda Síochána and Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/civil partners. In addition, there is a wide range of electors living in the State who, for one reason or another, qualify for the postal vote. These include full-time students registered at their home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State.

While electoral law is subject to ongoing review I have no proposals at present to extend existing arrangements for postal voting to students attending an educational institution outside the State.