Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2018
596. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of proposed legislation to cease the practice of early voting on offshore islands prior to the date of polling on the mainland; the reason little progress has been made to date to end the practice; the voting arrangements for the islands with respect to the upcoming referendum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22240/18]
View answerThe Electoral (Amendment) (No 3) Bill 2014 (a Private Members Bill) contains proposals to cease the practice of early voting on off-shore islands prior to the date of polling on the mainland. This Bill is progressing through the Oireachtas and was supported by the Government at second stage on 6 December 2016.
On 14 November 2017, at the invitation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government, officials from my Department engaged with the Committee in detailed scrutiny of the Bill. The Committee is to prepare a report, which is awaited.
Voting arrangements for the islands for the forthcoming referendum are a matter for Local Returning Officers. However, I understand that these arrangements are now in place and can be viewed at www.referendum.ie.
