Sir, – The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government has announced in an advertisement (Page 7, August 31st) that application forms for postal votes must be applied for and returned to city/ county councils by September 1st. These application forms are not available on e-mail and must be returned by ordinary mail. Yet postal votes are used by many people with limited physical mobility – making it effectively impossible for most of them to have a postal vote.
Furthermore, and in contrast to the general election, those people who are outside Ireland for work related reasons on election day, October 27th, are not entitled to a postal vote at all – even assuming that they can get and return the form in hard copy by today: a physical impossibility for An Post.
According to the department, the wording of this notice in The Irish Timesis in line with the Regulations. This is a very clear indication of the State's contempt for its voters – and indeed for democracy. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Those with a physical illness or physical disability, or resident in a hospital or nursing home will surely be delighted to learn from Phil Hogan’s announcement in today’s daily newspapers (August 31st) that they can apply for a postal vote.Their only problem will be that they have 24 hours to access the application form and get it returned to their local authority by today. This hardly seems practical, fair or considerate. – Yours, etc,