Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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623. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to cease using primary schools as polling stations and to use community centres and other local facilities instead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23105/18]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Under electoral law, the appointment of polling stations is a matter for the appropriate returning officer, who is required to provide a sufficient number of stations, conveniently distributed for the accommodation of the electors entitled to vote there. The electoral acts also provide that a returning officer may, for the purposes of taking a poll use, free of charge, any school or any room in a school and any premises (other than a dwelling house) owned or occupied by a local authority. Guidance issued to Returning Officers by my Department in advance of electoral events advises that it is open to returning officers to hire a hall or other premises if they consider it to be appropriate.

While electoral law is subject to ongoing review, there are no proposals to alter the existing arrangements.