Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

There are a couple of issues. The Garda, in a number of instances in my area of Rivervalley, when called, did not remove the posters. The garda who was called in Galway over the presence of the Bible did not ensure that the Bible was removed. Even though it was recognised that it should not have been on the table, it was not removed.

The interpretation of the legislation was that the 50 m was not from the entrance of the building but to the desk buried in the middle of the building. Had the gardaí interpreted it correctly, they would have removed them. They not only did not remove them but did not even understand the law, and the Returning Officer did not either. We cannot have a repetition of that. It was regrettable.

There needs to be considerable training of Returning Officers. I have no problem with schools being chosen - they are a good location. The point is there has to be an instruction to the school that if it is allowing its facilities to be used, we cannot have obvious religious symbolism in a sensitive issue such as this. Particularly in the instances in my area, it could have been avoided. The school could have been used. The Catholic iconography in the school could have been protected in its locations where they normally have it. The two did not need to conflict. It was quite clear there was a deliberate conflict here. Even in my polling station, the school shares the carpark with the church. One drives in to the church and then turns right to the school. There was a car strategically parked in the carpark with a sticker on the back, stating “Vote No.” One could not drive in to the carpark without seeing this car that was there all day.

We need to look at the regulations and state that it is not just posters. Our returning officers need to be far better equipped and the schools and locations that host this important part of our democracy have to be told that it is not on. I would be very grateful if the Minister of State could relay the fact that we need to revisit the regulations and the education of returning officers. They are getting paid for the job, so they should at least know how to do it properly.

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