I move amendment No. 9:
In page 4, to delete lines 26 to 30, and substitute the following:
"(a) the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1) of section 94:
‘(1A) The returning officer shall, where practicable, provide polling stations which are accessible to wheelchair users.'.".
Amendments Nos. 10 and 20 are related and may be discussed together.
I move amendment No. 10:
In page 4, paragraph (b), lines 37 and 38, to delete "shall establish by regulation" and substitute "may provide for by regulations".
The Bill would place a mandatory requirement on returning officers to provide special arrangements for assisting visually impaired electors. This would include facilities such as Braille on ballot papers or Braille templates used with normal ballot papers. The committee has considered electoral matters and its interim report on procedures for the registration of voters and the conduct of elections recommended that Braille papers or Braille templates should be made available at all polling stations. It is a complex issue which requires detailed consideration and we should not rush into making a decision today.
Amendment No. 10 is a minor drafting change which is agreed. The Minister assured the committee that amendment No. 20 was unnecessary because it was already presumed to exist. On that basis, I am happy to withdraw it.
Amendments Nos. 11 and 26 are related and may be discussed together.
I move amendment No. 11:
In page 4, between lines 40 and 41, to insert the following subsection:
"(2) The Local Elections Regulations, 1995 (S.I. No. 297 of 1995), are hereby amended——
(a) by the insertion of the following sub-article after sub-article (1) of Article 57:
‘(1A) The returning officer shall, where practicable, provide polling stations which are accessible to wheelchair users;
and
(b) by the insertion of the following paragraphs after paragraph (h) of sub-article (5) of article 57:
"(i) such other arrangements as may serve to facilitate the marking and placing in the ballot box of ballot papers by voters who may be wheelchair users.
(j) such arrangements as may be provided for by regulations under section 94(5)(j) of the Act of 1992 for the time being in force as may serve to facilitate voters with visual impairments to mark their ballot papers without assistance.'.".
This provides for the amendment of local elections regulations by the insertion of a similar requirement in relation to local elections.
The amendment extends the provisions to local elections by amending the 1995 regulation and it is agreed.
