Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister does not need to set up or ask a commission for an opinion in order to make a decision on what she believes is the most practical place for a polling station. I am very disappointed in the reply she has given, as the Minister has really not engaged in any way on the question I put for consideration. She has diverted the issue to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, as well as country registrars, by saying it is their responsibility. The Minister has indicated it is not the concern of her Department as to whether schools close on polling day and county registrars can close schools if they wish. The Department does not even seem to take note of how many schools are closed on polling days, which is an absolution of departmental responsibilities of monitoring what schools are open. Even after the putting of this question, the Department has not decided to check how many schools were closed.

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