Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 28th October, 2016.

I, SIMON COVENEY, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 94(5)(j) (inserted by section 3 (1)(c) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1996 (No. 43 of 1996)) of the Electoral Act 1992 (No. 23 of 1992) hereby make the following Regulations:

Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Electoral Regulations 2016.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations—

“ballot paper” means a ballot paper within the meaning of the Referendum Act 1994 (No. 12 of 1994);

“referendum” means a referendum within the meaning of the Referendum Act 1994 ;

“ballot paper template” means a template which meets the requirements of the schedule.

Provision of ballot paper template at polling stations

3. For the taking of the poll at a referendum the returning officer shall provide a ballot paper template at each polling station.

Arrangements for voting using a ballot paper template

4. (a) The presiding officer, upon the request of a voter with visual impairment who wishes to mark his or her ballot paper at a referendum without assistance (within the meaning of section 103 of the Electoral Act 1992 as applied to referendums by section 32 of the Referendum Act 1994 ) shall, before delivering the ballot paper to the voter in accordance with section 101 of the Electoral Act 1992 as applied to referendums by section 32 of the Referendum Act 1994 , insert the ballot paper into or attach it to the ballot paper template, as appropriate.

(b) The voter shall, after marking the ballot paper, separate the ballot paper from the ballot paper template before placing the ballot paper in the ballot box in accordance with section 101 of the Electoral Act 1992 , as applied to referendums by section 32 of the Referendum Act 1994 .

SCHEDULE

A ballot paper template shall—

(a) allow a ballot paper to be inserted into and removed from the template, or attached to and detached from it, easily and without damage to the paper,

(b) keep the ballot paper firmly in place during use, and

(c) provide suitable means for the voter—

(i) to identify the squares on the ballot paper on which the voter may mark his or her vote,

(ii) to identify the answer to which each such square refers, and

(iii) to mark his or her vote on the square the voter has chosen.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

20 October 2016.

SIMON COVENEY,

Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These regulations prescribe arrangements to facilitate voters with visual impairments to mark their ballot papers at a referendum without assistance.