Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is an opportune time to say that the postal vote window has been extended for referenda and local elections. I also agree that it is short for Dáil elections but this must be so given the tight timeframe between the calling of the election and the return of the postal ballots. It is not about trying to punish people who want to vote on the same day. We are trying to get a local solution to a local problem. This is based on severe weather conditions and gives the returning officer the flexibility in those conditions. As people can see, we had extreme weather conditions in Ireland during the past two days. This is about giving the returning officer flexibility and not about trying to punish anybody. It is about leaving them room to be able to make that call. As I said, the overriding situation is to have the ballot box for the count at 9 a.m. the following day. It is a matter of erring on the side of caution because there would probably be much argument here and in the constituencies if the ballot boxes were not there to be counted. We are erring on the side of caution and, therefore, we are not accepting the amendment.

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