Holly Cairns
Ceist:369. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress made towards action 29 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021. [38062/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 13 July 2021
Ceisteanna (369)
Freagraí scríofa
Action 29 of the National Disability and Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021 commits to progressing the accessibility of voting and voter information, building on learning from National Disability Authority research and from best practice. I am pleased to report good progress in addressing matters in this area.
In December 2018, my Department formed a Working Group on Disability Voting to bring together representatives of the Department, persons with disabilities and representative organisations such as the National Disability Agency, the National Council for the Blind and the Irish Wheelchair Association. The Group is working to improve accessibility of voting for voters with physical disabilities, and its work has been particularly focused on the following issues:
Improving accessibility to polling stations for voters with physical disabilities, particularly wheelchair users, with the goal of all polling stations being fully accessible as soon as possible;
Reviewing and updating, as required, the Department’s ‘Accessible Voting Checklist’, which addresses improved accessibility within polling stations for voters with physical disabilities, particularly wheelchair users;
Developing and improving Ballot Paper Templates (BPTs) - plastic devices with tactile features which are overlaid on ballot papers to enable blind and vision-impaired people to vote in private at electoral events; and
Promoting measures to advance voting accessibility, as set out in Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
BPTs were used for the first time at the Referendum held in May 2018 and have been in use in all other electoral events since then. Good progress has also been made in recent years by Returning Officers in reducing the number of polling stations that are not fully accessible by voters with physical disabilities.
Recognising 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. In addition, electoral law provides that voters who are unable to vote without assistance may avail of companion voting or they may seek the assistance of the Presiding Officer.
The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future - commits to the establishment of an Electoral Commission. In January 2021, the General Scheme of an Electoral Reform Bill was published which sets out the legislative basis for the Commission. The Commission will strengthen our electoral system as a whole and help us to anticipate and respond to the challenges we face in our evolving electoral environment. One of the Commission’s key functions will be a public awareness and education role in respect of electoral events.
While comprehensive arrangements are in place to assist participation in the electoral process by individuals with physical disabilities, nonetheless my Department will continue to seek to improve these arrangements and to have regard to the special needs of such persons.