Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the circumstances under which it is possible to obtain a postal vote for elections and referenda. [22199/18]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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595. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if consideration has been given to broadening the rights to have a postal vote and amending the circumstances in which a postal vote is available. [22200/18]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 594 and 595 together.

Postal voting is provided for in electoral law in respect of a number of categories of electors - whole-time members of the Defence Forces, members of An Garda Síochána, Irish diplomats serving abroad and their spouses/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, full-time students registered at their home who are living elsewhere while attending an educational institution in the State, prisoners and certain election staff employed at the poll outside the constituency where they reside. Potential voters falling into these categories who were not already postal voters had until 28 April 2018 to apply to their registration authorities for inclusion in the supplement to the postal voters list to avail of a postal vote in the forthcoming referendum.