Minister makes order on polling day

Alan Kelly, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, has today made an order appointing 26 February 2016 as polling day and the hours from 7am to 10pm to be the hours of polling at the General Election to be held as a consequence of the proclamation issued on 3rd February 2016 dissolving Dáil Éireann.

To stand for election to Dáil Éireann, a candidate must be a citizen of Ireland and at least 21 years of age by polling day. A person may nominate himself or herself as a candidate or, with his or her consent, may be nominated by a person who is registered as an elector in the constituency concerned. A candidate not in possession of a certificate of political affiliation (confirmation that a person is a candidate of a political party registered in the register of political parties) must have their nomination completed using either of the following options: by way of assents requiring the completion of statutory declarations by 30 assentors (registered electors) in the relevant Dáil constituency, or by way of the candidate, or someone on his or her behalf, lodging a deposit of €500 with the returning officer.

The latest time for receiving nominations is 12 noon on 11 February 2016. Candidates may withdraw their nominations up to 12 noon on 12 February 2016.

Every person who is an Irish or British citizen and is included in the register of electors is entitled to vote at the General Election. The electorate currently stands at over 3.2 million.

People who are eligible to vote but are not registered as electors still have time to apply for entry in the supplement to the register of electors to be published before polling day. To be eligible for inclusion in the supplement, a person must be 18 years of age or over on or before polling day and must be ordinarily resident in the State. For inclusion in the supplement to the register, a person must complete the relevant application form, which can be downloaded from www.checktheregister.ie or can be obtained from City, County or City and County Councils (registration authorities). An application form will need to be received by the registration authority for the area in which the applicant is resident not later than Tuesday 9 February 2016.

An application for inclusion in the supplement to the register must be signed by the applicant in the presence of a member of the Garda Síochána from the applicant’s local Garda station who must first be satisfied as to the person’s identity before signing, dating and stamping the form. The Garda may request photographic or other identification. Where the applicant establishes in writing that he or she is unable to progress the application in this way, the form can be signed by the applicant in the presence of an official of the registration authority who is satisfied as to his or her identity. Again, photographic or other identification may be required. If neither option is viable due to physical illness or physical disability, the application form must be accompanied by a medical certificate.

If a person is eligible to vote by post, or is unable to vote in person due to a physical illness or physical disability and is resident in a hospital, nursing home or similar institution, and they are not on the Postal Voters List or Special Voters List, as appropriate, they can apply for inclusion in the supplements to those lists. Application forms will need to be received by the registration authority for the area in which the applicant is resident not later than Friday 5 February 2016. Application forms are available from City, County or City and County Councils who will advise people of the appropriate arrangements for the completion of the relevant form.

Voting, to elect 157 members (excluding the Ceann Comhairle) to the 32nd Dáil, will take place in the 40 constituencies specified in the Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013.

The Minister took the opportunity to encourage Returning Officers, when making their arrangements for the conduct of the polls, to consider employing unemployed people on polling day and at the subsequent counts in each constituency.

“While the efficient conduct of the polls and the count is clearly dependent on having sufficiently skilled and experienced people, I would ask all Returning Officers to consider employing suitable persons who are unemployed”, the Minister said.

Further information in relation to electoral matters is available on the Department’s website at http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/Voting/

Olltoghchán – 26 Feabhra 2016

Rinne an tUas. Alan Kelly, T.D., Aire Comhshaoil, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil ordú inniu (an 3 Feabhra 2016) chun an 26 Feabhra 2016 a cheapadh mar lá vótaíochta agus chun na huaire an chloig ó 7.00 am go 10.00 pm a shocrú mar uaire vótaíochta san Olltoghchán a dhéanfar de dhroim an fhorógra a eisíodh ar an 3 Feabhra 2016 chun Dáil Éireann a lánscor.

Chun seasamh i dtoghchán do Dháil Éireann, ní mór d’iarrthóir a bheith ina shaoránach d’Éirinn nó ina saoránach d’Éirinn agus a bheith 21 bhliain d’aois ar a laghad faoin lá vótaíochta. Féadfaidh duine é féin nó í féin a ainmniú mar iarrthóir nó féadfaidh duine atá cláraithe mar thoghthóir sa dáilcheantar lena mbaineann duine eile a ainmniú, ach toiliú a fháil ón duine eile sin. Ní mór d’iarrthóirí nach bhfuil deimhniú cleamhnachta polaitíochta (daingniú á rá gur iarrthóir de chuid páirtí polaitíochta atá cláraithe i gclár na bpáirtithe polaitíochta é/í an duine lena mbaineann) acu a n-ainmniúchán a chur i gcrích trí cheachtar de na roghanna seo a leanas a úsáid: ar mhodh aontuithe ó 30 aontaitheoir (toghthóirí cláraithe) sa dáilcheantar lena mbaineann, agus ní mór do na haontaitheoirí dearbhú reachtúil a chomhlánú ina leith sin, nó ar mhodh éarlais €500 atá le taisceadh leis an gceann comhairimh ag an iarrthóir nó ag duine éigin thar ceann an iarrthóra.

Is é an tráth deireanach chun ainmniúcháin a ghlacadh 12 meán lae ar an 11 Feabhra 2016. Féadfaidh iarrthóirí a n-ainmniúcháin a tharraingt siar suas go 12 meán lae ar an 12 Feabhra 2016.

Tá gach duine ar saoránach Éireannach nó saoránach Briotanach é nó í, agus a bhfuil a ainm nó a hainm ann i gClár na dToghthóirí, i dteideal vóta a chaitheamh san Olltoghchán. Tá os cionn 3.2 milliún toghthóir ann faoi láthair.

I gcás daoine atá cáilithe chun vóta a chaitheamh, ach nach bhfuil cláraithe mar thoghthóirí, tá am acu fós chun iarratas a dhéanamh ar chlárúchán san fhorlíonadh a ghabhann leis an gclár atá le foilsiú roimh an lá vótaíochta. Chun bheith cáilithe i gcomhair clárúcháin san fhorlíonadh, ní mór do dhuine a bheith 18 mbliana d’aois nó os a chionn ar an lá vótaíochta, nó roimhe, agus ní mór gnáthchónaí a bheith air/uirthi sa Stát. Chun ainm duine a chur á chlárú san fhorlíonadh a ghabhann leis an gclár, ní mór dó nó di an fhoirm iarratais iomchuí a chomhlánú, ar foirm í atá ar fáil lena híoslódáil ó www.checktheregister.ie nó atá ar fáil ó Chomhairlí Cathrach, Contae nó Cathrach agus Contae (na húdaráis chlárúcháin). Ní mór don údarás clárúcháin iomchuí don cheantar ina bhfuil cónaí ar an iarratasóir foirm iarratais a fháil tráth nach déanaí ná Dé Máirt, an 9 Feabhra 2016.

I gcás iarratais ar ainm a chur isteach san fhorlíonadh leis an gclár, ní mór don iarratasóir é a shíniú i láthair comhalta den Gharda Síochána i stáisiún áitiúil Garda Síochána an iarratasóra agus ní mór don chomhalta sin a bheith sásta maidir le céannacht an duine roimh an bhfoirm a shíniú, a dhátú agus a stampáil. Féadfaidh an comhalta den Gharda Síochána cárta aitheantais a bhfuil grianghraf air, nó cárta aitheantais de chineál eile, a iarraidh. Má shuíonn an t-iarratasóir nach féidir leis nó léi an t-iarratas a dhéanamh sa tslí sin, féadfaidh an t-iarratasóir an fhoirm a shíniú i láthair oifigigh de chuid an údaráis clárúcháin atá sásta maidir le céannacht an iarratasóra. Sa chás seo freisin, féadfar cárta aitheantais a bhfuil grianghraf air, nó cárta aitheantais de chineál eile, a iarraidh. Más rud é nach féidir leas a bhaint as ceachtar den dá rogha sin mar gheall ar thinneas fisiciúil nó ar mhíchumas fisiciúil, ní mór deimhniú dochtúra a chur ag gabháil leis an iarratas.

Más rud é go bhfuil duine i dteideal vóta a chaitheamh leis an bpost, nó nach bhfuil sé nó sí in ann vótáil i bpearsa mar gheall ar thinneas fisiciúil nó ar mhíchumas fisiciúil, agus go bhfuil cónaí air nó uirthi in ospidéal, i dteach banaltrais nó i bhforas den tsamhail chéanna, agus nach bhfuil sé nó sí cláraithe ar Liosta na bPostvótálaithe nó ar Liosta na Vótálaithe Speisialta, de réir mar is cuí, is féidir leis nó léi iarratas a dhéanamh chun a ainm/hainm a chur ar an bhforlíonadh leis sna liostaí sin. Caithfidh foirmeacha iarratais a bheith faighte ag an údarás clárúcháin don limistéar ina gcónaíonn an t-iarratasóir tráth nach déanaí ná Dé hAoine, an 5 Feabhra 2016. Tá foirmeacha iarratais ar fáil ó Chomhairlí Cathrach, Contae nó Cathrach agus Contae agus déanfaidh na comhairlí sin na socruithe cuí maidir le comhlánú na bhfoirmeacha iomchuí a chur in iúl do dhaoine.

Déanfar an vótáil chun 157 gcomhalta (gan an Ceann Comhairle a áireamh) a thoghadh don 32ú Dáil a sheoladh sa 40 dáilcheantar a shonraítear san Acht Toghcháin (Leasú) (Dáilcheantair) 2013.

Thapaigh an tAire an deis chun spreagadh a thabhairt do Chinn Chomhairimh breithniú a dhéanamh, tráth déanta na socruithe do sheoladh na vótaíochta, i dtaobh daoine dífhostaithe a fhostú ar an lá vótaíochta agus ag na comhairimh ina dhiaidh sin i ngach dáilcheantar.

“Cé gur léir go bhfuil seoladh éifeachtúil na vótaíochtaí agus an chomhairimh ag brath ar dhaoine atá sách oilte agus ag a bhfuil dóthain taithí a bheith ar fáil, iarraim ar gach Ceann Comhairimh breithniú a dhéanamh i dtaobh daoine oiriúnacha atá dífhostaithe a fhostú”, arsa an tAire.

Tá tuilleadh eolais maidir le cúrsaí toghcháin ar fáil ar láithreán gréasáin na Roinne ag http://www.environ.ie/en/LocalGovernment/Voting/