Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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550. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider changing rules relating to postal voting, in order that the spouses, partners and dependants of voting age who live overseas with an adult who qualifies for a postal vote can also be entitled to a postal vote; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44112/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under electoral law, postal voting is available for a number of different categories of people including the following:

• 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 an illness or a 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.

An Coimisiún Toghcháin, Ireland’s independent electoral commission, was established in February 2023, on foot of the Electoral Reform Act 2022. An Coimisiún's research, advisory and public information function will see it carry out research on electoral policy and procedure. An Coimisiún is also empowered to advise and make recommendations to the Minister and the Government in relation to any proposals for legislative change, or any other policy matters concerning electoral and legislative proposals.

The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future contains a commitment to examine the use of postal voting, with the intention of expanding its provision. In support of this commitment, I wrote to An Coimisiún in July 2023, and outlined a number of issues that An Coimisiún might include in its initial research programme. This included the commitment in the Programme for Government relating to postal voting.

An Coimisiún’s Research Programme 2024-2026, published on 10 July 2024, includes a commitment to examine the issue of postal voting. This policy area will be reviewed once An Coimisiún has considered and made recommendations on the issue.