Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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638. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason nursing home residents have to cast their vote in the presidential election a week before other persons; if he will consider moving this vote closer to the polling day in order that the residents can cast their vote with the benefit of the full election campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47906/18]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Electoral law provides that an elector ordinarily resident in a hospital, nursing home or other similar institution who is unable to go in person to vote at their normal polling station by reason of a physical illness or disability may apply to be included in a special voters list. Arrangements are made at each election or referendum, including at a Presidential election, for such voters to vote at the institution where they are resident. This is facilitated by the appointment of a special presiding officer accompanied by a Garda.

Electoral law also provides that the local returning officer for each constituency is responsible for conducting a Presidential election. The local returning officer is required to ensure that the delivery of voting documents to special voters is effected as soon as practicable after the adjournment of the Presidential election for the purposes of taking a poll.

Electoral law does not specify a date on which voting by special voters should take place at an election or referendum. This is a matter for the local returning officer in the context of making the necessary preparations for the special voting arrangements and ensuring that the completed voting documents are returned by the special presiding officer to the returning officer before the close of poll.

I have no proposals to amend legislation in this regard.