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

That may be an example, and that is grand. In cases where there is not an alternative available there is no problem with the school closing but this problem does not require a commission to be established. It does not require putting forward the idea that this involves moving to Saturday polling instead. What is generally required is a proper audit and assessment in each area as to whether there is a suitable alternative venue available in each community and where that is the case, the local sports hall, GAA facilities, soccer club or parish hall should be used instead. I know of many in my constituency. In my local polling station there was one polling booth yet there were seven classrooms in the school all closed for that day. One of those rooms, the general purpose hall, was used yet 400 yards down the road, there was a community centre which had even more space available. That is the case in the vast majority of instances but the Minister is refusing to engage and grasp this nettle. She is standing over a situation where each time a referendum is held many schools, and she cannot even tell me the number but it is well over half of all primary schools, have to close down. That means that on election day those parents have to either find child care for their children for that day or take a day off school.

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