Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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722. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has researched the amount it would cost to end the use of schools as polling stations and use other venues instead; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50750/18]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The primary role of my Department in electoral matters is to provide an appropriate policy and legislative framework for a modern and efficient electoral system. Within that framework, local Returning Officers are responsible for all matters in connection with the actual conduct of elections and referendums. This includes, in accordance with section 94 of the Electoral Act 1992, the provision of a sufficient number of polling stations, conveniently distributed for the accommodation of the electors entitled to vote there.

Guidance issued to Returning Officers by my Department in advance of electoral events advises that when schools are used as polling stations, every step should be taken to ensure that schools are not closed unnecessarily and that disruption of school work should be kept to a minimum. The Guidance advises that, where possible, school halls should be used instead of classrooms and that voting compartments and other equipment should be fitted up and dismantled after school hours. Guidance also advises that it is open to returning officers to hire a hall or other premises if they consider it to be appropriate. Electoral law provides that a returning officer may, for the purposes of taking a poll and counting the votes, use a school or any room in a school free of charge.

It is important to note that the wide distribution of schools around the country helps to fulfil the requirement under electoral law to provide polling stations conveniently distributed for the accommodation of electors. Due to this requirement, and the fact that Returning Officers can, and do, choose halls and other venues as polling stations, where appropriate, research in respect of the cost of ending the use of schools as polling stations has not proven necessary.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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723. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has conducted research into holding referendums and elections on weekends rather than on weekdays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50751/18]

John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Arrangements for the holding of elections and referendums, including the setting of the polling day, are set out in legislation. Electoral law allows for the taking of the poll at elections and referendums on any day of the week and this flexibility allows all relevant factors to be taken into account at any given time in setting the polling day. While I have no proposals to change the current arrangements or to carry out research currently, the arrangements in place are kept under review in my Department in the light of all relevant developments.