John Dolan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. In Europe, the wealthiest continent in the world, some 25% of citizens are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. A large proportion of them are the great majority of the 80 million European people with disabilities. I applaud the work of the European Anti-Poverty Network and, in particular, its Irish branch in that regard.

On people with disabilities, our citizens have the right to vote in an election and referendum on Friday 26 October but not every citizen can exercise that right. Serious access issues remain for people with disabilities. We now have a hard-won template such that the visually impaired can for the first time vote privately and confidentially in a referendum, although not yet in other elections. That template was fought by the system through the courts The right to vote in confidentiality is a powerful and necessary expression of what democracy and a republic is about.

There are outstanding issues relating to access to polling stations in 11 constituencies or a quarter of constituencies nationwide, namely, Carlow-Kilkenny, Dublin Central, Dublin Mid-West, Dublin South-Central, Dublin South-West, Dún Laoghaire, Kerry, Limerick City, Limerick County, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. Although there are not issues in every polling station, it is a blight across the country.

I request that the Leader ask the Minister to come to the House at an early date and set out his plan to sweep away those barriers as quickly as possible. At least two elections will be held next year - local and European - and it is important that all citizens be able to cast their vote.