I move:
That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to make special provision for independent voting by visually impaired, incapacitated and illiterate voters.
I will briefly explain the substance of this Bill. People with sight loss difficulties, reading and writing difficulties or capacity issues face additional obstacles when they want to vote. Some of these obstacles could be addressed through the development of an appropriate set of guidelines and practices that would ensure voting is accessible to all citizens who are entitled to vote in elections or referendums. The legislation I am proposing will operate alongside such guidelines and practices. It will give statutory footing to the facilitation of independent voting for people with sight loss. It aims to extend the capacity of people to engage in independent voting. It seeks to extend the time during which people with sight loss who want to vote with the assistance of a companion can do so, by reducing the timeframe during which the presiding officer can refuse to allow visually impaired voters to avail of their right to assistance. The Bill proposes to remove the word "blind" from electoral law. It is intended to encompass all visually impaired people who cannot vote independently due to sight loss. The Bill retains the categorisation of visually impaired people, together with those who cannot vote independently due to illiteracy or difficulties of incapacity.
The purpose of the Bill is to make provision for independent voting by people who are visually impaired, people who have literacy issues and people who are incapacitated. It will allow such people to approach referendums through the use of a template. It will provide for independent voting at elections with the assistance of an electronic voting mechanism. The Bill will retain the option of voting with a companion. It will reduce the amount of time during which the presiding officer in a presidential or Dáil election can refuse a request by a visually impaired, incapacitated or illiterate voter to vote with the assistance of a companion. The Bill will operate together with the assisted voting provisions that are made available to visually impaired, incapacitated or illiterate voters. It will offer to them the additional option of voting independently following the provision of assistance or with no assistance at all.
In conclusion, the Bill will operate alongside the wider guidelines. It will provide greater access opportunities to people who have challenges, particularly in the area of sight loss, or intellectual disabilities. I propose this legislation to the House.
