Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 November 2018
301. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the way in which he has progressed the accessibility of voting and voter information for persons with disabilities. [46364/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraRecognising that people with disabilities have particular needs, my Department endeavours to ensure that the voting process is as accessible and inclusive as possible.
The Electoral Acts provide for a range of measures to meet the needs of people with physical disabilities, including:
- The requirement on local authorities, in making polling schemes, to appoint as polling places areas where at least one polling station will be accessible to wheelchair users;
- The requirement on Returning Officers, where practicable, to provide polling stations which are accessible to wheelchair users and to give public notice of all polling stations which are inaccessible to wheelchair users not later than eight days before polling day. In guidance to Returning Officers, my Department has suggested that consideration should be given to providing suitable ramps in the case of polling stations that cannot be reached without negotiating steps;
- The requirement on Returning Officers to put in place arrangements to facilitate the marking and placing in the ballot box of ballot papers by wheelchair users. In guidance to Returning Officers, my Department has suggested the provision at each polling station of an appropriately located table and chair to facilitate this requirement;
- The requirement on Returning Officers to ensure, where practicable, that the place appointed for the counting of votes is accessible to wheelchair users.
If an elector anticipates difficulty in gaining access to his or her polling station, he or she may apply in writing to the Returning Officer for authorisation to vote at another polling station in the same constituency. Furthermore, a person with a physical disability or illness which prevents him or her from going to the polling station can vote by post if he or she applies to be included in the postal voters list which is drawn up each year as part of the register of electors. A person residing in a hospital, nursing home or similar institution who has a physical disability or illness which prevents them from going to the polling station, can vote at the hospital or nursing home if they apply to be included in the special voters list which is drawn up each year as part of the register of electors. In order to be entered on the postal or special voters list, a person must apply to the appropriate local authority by 25 November each year. After that date, an application for inclusion on the supplement to the postal or special voters list may be made.
Currently there are a number of options available to assist voters with a visual impairment, or who are otherwise so physically incapacitated or are unable to read or write to such an extent that they are unable to vote without assistance. They may avail of companion voting or they may seek the assistance of the Presiding Officer. In addition, in the referendum last May, my Department provided ballot paper templates for use by vision impaired voters for the first time. These are devices that can be attached to ballot papers to enable vision impaired voters to vote in secret. Having being introduced in May for the first time, the use of the ballot paper templates was continued in the recent presidential election and referendum.
Other measures in place to assist such voters include the requirement to have on display at the polling station a large print version of the ballot paper and the inclusion of candidates' photographs and party emblems on the ballot paper.
While comprehensive arrangements are in place to assist participation in the electoral process by individuals with physical disabilities, nonetheless my Department continues to seek to improve these arrangements and to have regard to the special needs of such persons.
