Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

189. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding voting rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13560/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In order to be able to vote at elections and referendums, a person's name must be entered in the register of electors for a constituency in the State in which the person ordinarily resides.

Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of certain categories of person who are entered in the register of electors - whole-time members of the Defence Forces; members of An Garda Síochána; Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses or civil partners; electors living at home who are unable to vote because of a physical illness or a physical disability; electors whose occupation, service or employment makes it likely that they will be unable to vote in person at their local polling station on polling day and full-time students registered at their home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State; certain election staff employed at the poll outside the constituency where they reside; and electors who because of the circumstances of their detention in prison pursuant to an order of a court are likely to be unable to go in person on polling day to vote.

Qualifying voters can apply to their local authority for inclusion in the postal voters lists. Electors who are eligible for, but not already included in, the postal voters list may apply for entry into the supplement to these lists.  Such applications must be received by the registration authority at least 22 days (not including Sundays, Good Friday or Public Holidays) before polling day at a referendum in order to be considered for that referendum.

  While electoral law is subject to ongoing review, I have no proposals at present to extend existing arrangements for postal voting. In responding to the recommendation of the Constitution on the Convention in their fourth report that there should be greater access to postal voting, the Government proposed that an electoral commission be tasked in due course with considering the issue and advising in detail on the electoral and operational implications, including costs, of implementing change in this area. As regards the Electoral Commission, I published a consultation paper on 27 January 2015 that has since been discussed in the Seanad on 4 March 2015. I also met with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht on 10 March 2015 to discuss the paper as part of the pre-legislative process. The Committee will now engage in a consultation process and report their recommendations to me in due course.