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Uimhir 35 de 1986
AN tACHT TOGHCHÁIN (LEASÚ) (UIMH. 2), 1986
RIAR NA nALT
Na hAchtanna dá dTagraítear | |
Na hAchtanna Toghcháin, 1923 go 1986 | |
Na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977 go 1986 | |
Na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin Áitiúla, 1963 go 1974. | |
Achtanna Toghchán an Uachtaráin, 1937 go 1985 | |
Achtanna an Reifrinn, 1942 go 1986 | |
Uimhir 35 de 1986
AN tACHT TOGHCHÁIN (LEASÚ) (UIMH. 2), 1986
[An tiontú oifigiúil]
Léiriú.
1.—San Acht seo—
ciallaíonn “Acht 1923” an tAcht Timpeal Toghachán, 1923;
ciallaíonn “Acht 1963” an tAcht Toghcháin, 1963;
ciallaíonn “na hAchtanna” de réir mar a éilíonn an comhthéacs, na hAchtanna Toghcháin, 1923 go 1986, na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977 go 1986, Achtanna Toghchán an Uachtaráin, 1937 go 1985, agus Achtanna an Reifrinn, 1942 go 1986;
tá le “tráth iomchuí” an bhrí a shonraítear in alt 10 den Acht seo;
tá le “clúdach páipéir ballóide” (seachas in alt 16 den Acht seo) an bhrí a shonraítear in alt 10 den Acht seo;
tá le “forchlúdach” (seachas in alt 16 den Acht seo) an bhrí a shonraítear in alt 10 den Acht seo;
ciallaíonn “toghchán”, de réir mar a éilíonn an comhthéacs, toghchán Dála, toghchán do Thionól na hEorpa, toghchán uachtaráin, reifreann nó toghchán áitiúil agus forléireofar “toghthóir” dá réir sin;
ciallaíonn “lia-chleachtóir” duine a bhfuil a ainm taifeadta i gClár Ginearálta na Lia-Chleachtóirí a bunaíodh faoi Acht na Lia-Chleachtóirí, 1978;
ciallaíonn “forordaithe” forordaithe le Rialacháin arna ndéanamh ag an Aire;
ciallaíonn “dáta cáilitheach” an dáta a shonróidh an tAire i Rialacháin arna ndéanamh de bhun alt 5 (6) (a) d'Acht 1963;
ciallaíonn “ceann comhairimh” de réir mar a éilíonn an comhthéacs, an ceann comhairimh ag toghchán Dála nó ag toghchán áitiúil nó an ceann comhairimh áitiúil ag toghchán uachtaráin, ag toghchán do Thionól na hEorpa nó ag reifreann;
ciallaíonn “oifigeach ceannais speisialta” duine arna cheapadh chun bheith ina oifigeach ceannais speisialta de bhun alt 9 den Acht seo;
ciallaíonn “vótálaí speisialta” duine a bhfuil a ainm ar áireamh sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta;
ciallaíonn “liosta vótálaithe speisialta” an liosta vótálaithe a ullmhóidh an t-údarás clárúcháin de bhun alt 2 den Acht seo.
Liosta vótálaithe speisialta.
2.—(1) Ullmhóidh an t-údarás clárúcháin liosta ar leith (dá ngairtear an “liosta vótálaithe speisialta” san Acht seo) de dhaoine (dá ngairtear “vótálaithe speisialta” san Acht seo) a bheidh i dteideal vótáil i dtoghchán de réir fhorálacha an Achta seo gan ainmneacha na vótálaithe speisialta a bhaint de chlár na dtoghthóirí.
(2) Is i cibé foirm a ordóidh an tAire a bheidh an liosta vótálaithe speisialta.
(3) Aon toghthóir a mbeidh a ainm taifeadta sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta beidh sé i dteideal vótáil de réir fhorálacha alt 11 den Acht seo agus ní bheidh sé i dteideal vótáil in aon slí eile.
(4) Ní bheidh feidhm maidir le vótálaithe speisialta ag na forálacha de na hAchtanna a bhaineann le cártaí vótaíochta a eisiúint.
Vótálaithe speisialta a chlárú.
3.—(1) Taifeadfaidh an t-údarás clárúcháin sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta ainm gach toghthóra a dhéanann iarratas chun é a thaifeadadh amhlaidh agus a dheimhníonn don údarás clárúcháin—
(a) nach bhfuil ar a chumas dul chun vótáil é féin ag an ionad vótaíochta dá cheantar vótaíochta mar gheall ar thinneas coirp nó míchumas coirp a bheith air;
(b) gur dócha go mairfidh an tinneas coirp nó an míchumas coirp fad a leanfaidh an clár toghthóirí i bhfeidhm ar ina leith a dhéanfar an t-iarratas chun bheith taifeadta mar vótálaí speisialta; agus
(c) go bhfuil sé slán ó thaobh meabhrach agus tuisceana agus go bhfuil sé in ann a thuiscint céard is vótáil ann.
(2) Beidh feidhm ag na forálacha seo a leanas i ndáil le hiarratas chun bheith taifeadta sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta de bhun fho-alt (1) den alt seo—
(a) is san fhoirm fhorordaithe a bheidh an t-iarratas;
(b) is de réir na dtreoracha a bheidh ar an iarratas a chomhlánófar é;
(c) beidh an deimhniú dá dtagraítear in alt 4 den Acht seo ag gabháil leis an iarratas;
(d) déanfar an fhoirm iarratais, agus í comhlánaithe go cuí, mar aon leis an deimhniú dá dtagraítear in alt 4 den Acht seo, a sheachadadh, nó a chur leis an bpost, ionas go bhfaighidh an t-údarás clárúcháin iad tráth nach déanaí ná an dáta forordaithe.
Deimhniú a bheith ag gabháil le hiarratas.
4.—Aon duine a dhéanfaidh iarratas chun bheith ar áireamh sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta tabharfaidh sé, mar thaca lena iarratas, deimhniú san fhoirm fhorordaithe ó lia-chleachtóir, ina ndeimhneofar—
(a) cineál agus méid an tinnis coirp nó an mhíchumais coirp atá ar an iarratasóir sin,
(b) meastachán ar an bhfad a mhairfidh an tinneas coirp nó an míchumas coirp sin,
(c) go bhfuil an t-iarratasóir slán ó thaobh meabhrach agus tuisceana agus go bhfuil sé in ann a thuiscint céard is vótáil ann.
Iarrastasóir do thabhairt faisnéise nó doiciméad má éilítear sin air.
5.—(1) Aon duine a dhéanfaidh iarratas chun bheith ar áireamh sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta tabharfaidh sé don údarás clárúcháin aon fhaisnéis nó doiciméid a bheidh ina sheilbh nó ar fáil aige agus a éileoidh siad air—
(a) chun a dheimhniú dóibh gur duine é an t-iarratasóir a bhfuil feidhm ag alt 3 (1) den Acht seo maidir leis, nó
(b) chun críocha a ndualgas i ndáil le hullmhú an liosta vótálaithe speisialta.
(2) Aon tráth a dhéanfaidh údarás clárúcháin, de bhun fho-alt (1) den alt seo, faisnéis nó doiciméid a éileamh ar dhuine a dhéanfaidh iarratas chun bheith ar áireamh sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta, tabharfaidh an t-iarratasóir sin an fhaisnéis nó na doiciméid don údarás laistigh den tréimhse ama (ar tréimhse í nach lú ná 7 lá ón lá ar a ndéanfar an iarraidh) a bheidh sonraithe san éileamh agus, mura gcuirfidh an t-iarratasóir an fhaisnéis nó, de réir mar a bheidh, na doiciméid a éilíodh ar fáil laistigh den tréimhse ama a bheidh sonraithe amhlaidh, measfar a iarratas chun bheith ar áireamh sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta a bheith tarraingthe siar.
Fógraí.
6.—Déanfaidh an t-údarás clárúcháin laistigh de cibé tréimhse a bheidh forordaithe, socrú i ndáil le fógra poiblí a thabhairt—
(a) maidir leis an earnáil vótálaithe a bheidh i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh chun bheith taifeadta sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta;
(b) maidir leis an gcaoi nach foláir iarratais a chur isteach agus an t-am nach foláir iad a chur isteach roimhe; agus
(c) maidir leis na tráthanna ag ar féidir agus na hionaid inar féidir foirmeacha iarratais a fháil.
Foirmeacha iarratais a chur ar fáil.
7.—Déanfaidh an t-údarás clárúcháin socrú maidir le foirmeacha iarratais a chur ar fáil ag cibé tráthanna agus i cibé ionaid a bheidh sonraithe i bhfógra arna fhoilsiú de bhun alt 6 den Acht seo, agus soláthrófar foirm iarratais saor in aisce d'aon duine a dhéanfaidh iarratas lena haghaidh.
Iarratais a bhreithniú.
8.—(1) Más rud é, maidir le hiarratasóir, gur deimhin leis an údarás clárúcháin—
(a) gur duine é a bhfuil feidhm ag alt 3 (1) den Acht seo maidir leis, agus
(b) go bhfuil a fhoirm iarratais comhlánaithe go cuí aige, agus
(c) go bhfuil an deimhniú a éilítear de bhun alt 4 den Acht seo curtha isteach aige,
déanfaidh an t-údarás clárúcháin—
(i) a rialú go ngéillfear don iarratas agus an fhoirm iarratais a mharcáil dá réir sin, agus
(ii) an cinneadh a chur in iúl don iarratasóir.
(2) Más rud é, maidir le hiarratasóir, nach deimhin leis an údarás clárúcháin—
(a) gur duine é a bhfuil feidhm ag alt 3 (1) den Acht seo maidir leis, nó
(b) go bhfuil a fhoirm iarratais comhlánaithe go cuí aige, nó
(c) go bhfuil an deimhniú a éilítear de bhun alt 4 den Acht seo curtha isteach aige,
déanfaidh an t-údarás clárúcháin—
(i) a rialú go ndiúltófar don iarratas agus an fhoirm iarratais a mharcáil dá réir sin, agus
(ii) an cinneadh, agus na cúiseanna a bhí leis, a chur in iúl don iarratasóir.
(3) Aon uair a gheobhaidh údarás clárúcháin iarratas tar éis an dáta fhorordaithe, ní thabharfar aon aird ar an iarratas agus cuirfear an méid sin i iúl don iarratasóir.
Oifigigh cheannais speisialta.
9.—(1) Déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh, de réir mar is gá sna himthosca, duine amháin, nó níos mó ná duine amháin, a cheapadh chun críocha an Achta seo chun bheith ina oifigeach ceannais speisialta leis na feidhmeanna a thugtar d'oifigeach ceannais speisialta leis an Acht seo a chomhlíonadh.
(2) Na forálacha de na hAchtanna a bhaineann le cumhachtaí, cearta agus dualgais oifigigh ceannais arna cheapadh do stáisiún vótaíochta ag toghchán, beidh feidhm acu maidir le hoifigeach ceannais speisialta arna cheapadh faoin alt seo amhail is dá mba oifigeach ceannais arna cheapadh amhlaidh é agus amhail is dá mba stáisiún vótaíochta ag toghchán an t-ionad ag a bhfuil an vótálaí speisialta ag caitheamh a vóta.
(3) Féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh feidhmeanna uile, nó aon cheann d'fheidhmeanna, oifigigh ceannais speisialta arna cheapadh faoin alt seo a fheidhmiú agus beidh feidhm ag forálacha fho-alt (2) den alt seo maidir leis an gceann comhairimh fad a bheidh sé ag feidhmiú amhlaidh.
(4) Na forálacha de na hAchtanna a bhaineann le ceart toghthóra a iarraidh go marcálfadh compánach a pháipéar ballóide dó, ní bheidh feidhm acu i ndáil le vótálaí speisialta.
Páipéar ballóide, etc., do vótálaithe speisialta.
10.—(1) An tráth iomchuí, cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh faoi deara, i ndáil le toghchán, go seachadfar na nithe seo a leanas de bhun alt 11 den Acht seo ar gach vótálaí speisialta a bheidh i dteideal vótáil ag an toghchán sin, eadhon—
(a) páipéar ballóide don toghchán;
(b) foirm um dhearbhú céannachta san fhoirm fhorordaithe;
(c) clúdach (dá ngairtear “clúdach páipéir ballóide” san Acht seo) a mbeidh “clúdach páipéir ballóide” marcáilte air; agus
(d) clúdach a bheidh dírithe chuig an gceann comhairimh (dá ngairtear “forchlúdach” san Acht seo).
(2) San alt seo ciallaíonn “tráth iomchuí”, de réir mar is gá sa chomhthéacs—
(a) i ndáil le toghchán Dála, toghchán uachtaráin, toghchán do Thionól na hEorpa nó toghchán áitiúil, a luaithe is féidir tar éis an toghchán a chur ar atráth chun vótaíocht a thógáil; nó
(b) i ndáil le reifreann, a luaithe is féidir tar éis dháta an ordaithe ón Aire ag ceapadh an lae vótaíochta ag an reifreann.
Vótáil ag vótálaithe speisialta.
11.—(1) Ag toghchán, déanfaidh oifigeach ceannais speisialta, i láthair comhalta den Gharda Síochána, an fhoirm um dhearbhú céannachta dá dtagraítear in alt 10 den Acht seo a sheachadadh ar an vótálaí speisialta.
(2) Ní bheidh duine ar bith seachas an t-oifigeach ceannais speisialta agus an comhalta den Gharda Síochána i láthair nuair a bheidh an vótálaí speisialta ag vótáil de bhun an ailt seo.
(3) Comhlánóidh an vótálaí speisialta an dearbhú céannachta agus síneoidh sé é nó, mura féidir leis scríobh, cuirfidh sé a mharc leis agus déanfaidh an t-oifigeach ceannais speisialta an síniú sin, nó de réir mar a bheidh, an marc sin, a fhianú.
(4) Déanfaidh an t-oifigeach ceannais speisialta, ar é a bheith deimhin faoi chéannacht an vótálaí speisialta, páipéar ballóide a mharcáil leis an marc oifigiúil agus é a sheachadadh ar an vótálaí speisialta mar aon le clúdach páipéir ballóide.
(5) A luaithe a bheidh an páipéar ballóide agus an clúdach páipéir ballóide tugtha ag an oifigeach ceannais speisialta don vótálaí speisialta, cuirfidh sé marc os coinne ainm an vótálaí speisialta lena mbaineann ar chóip den liosta vótálaithe speisialta chun a chur in iúl gur eisíodh páipéar ballóide chuig an vótálaí sin ach ní thaispeánfaidh sé uimhir an pháipéir ballóide a eisíodh amhlaidh.
(6) Déanfaidh an vótálaí speisialta, air sin, a vóta a thaifeadadh go rúnda ar an bpáipéar ballóide agus, nuair a bheidh an vóta taifeadta aige amhlaidh, fillfidh sé an páipéar ballóide sa dóigh go mbeidh an vóta ceilte agus cuirfidh sé an páipéar ballóide, agus é fillte amhlaidh, sa chlúdach páipéir ballóide agus séalóidh sé an clúdach agus tabharfaidh sé an clúdach páipéir ballóide, de láimh, don oifigeach ceannais speisialta.
(7) Déanfaidh an t-oifigeach ceannais speisialta, a luaithe a bheidh an clúdach páipéir ballóide faighte aige, an clúdach sin, mar aon leis an dearbhú céannachta comhlánaithe, a chur i bhforchlúdach, agus séalóidh sé an forchlúdach air sin agus greamóidh sé de lipéad san fhoirm fhorordaithe a bheidh sínithe aige féin agus ag an gcomhalta den Gharda Síochána.
Dualgais an oifigigh ceannais speisialta i ndáil le forchlúdaigh agus doiciméid eile.
12.—(1) Déanfaidh an t-oifigeach ceannais speisialta, roimh an am a bheidh socraithe do chríochnú na vótaíochta ag an toghchán lena mbaineann, gach forchlúdach dá dtagraítear in alt 11 (7) den Acht seo a sheachadah ar an gceann comhairimh.
(2) Nuair a bheidh an vótáil críochnaithe ag vótálaithe speisialta, séalóidh gach oifigeach ceannais speisialta, i bpaicéid ar leith—
(a) na páipéir bhallóide neamhúsáidte agus aon pháipéir bhallóide mhillte, i dteannta a chéile;
(b) comhdhuillí na bpáipéar ballóide;
(c) an chóip mharcáilte den liosta vótálaithe speisialta;
(d) cuntas páipéir ballóide san fhoirm fhorordaithe arna chomhlánú aige;
(e) an gléas marcála, aon stáiseanóireacht neamhúsáidte agus aon doiciméid nó ábhair eile atá ina sheilbh agus a bhaineann le vótáil ag vótálaithe speisialta ag an toghchán;
agus seachadfaidh sé na paicéid sin go léir ar an gceann comhairimh.
Dualgais an cheann comhairimh i ndáil le vótaí ag vótálaithe speisialta.
13.—(1) Déileálfaidh an ceann comhairimh leis na paicéid a sheachadfaidh oifigeach ceannais speisialta air de bhun alt 12 den Acht seo sa dóigh chéanna a ndéileálfadh sé, de réir fhorálacha na nAchtanna, le paicéid eile ina mbeadh doiciméid agus ábhair eile dá samhail i ndáil le toghchán.
(2) Déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh na forchlúdaigh a bheidh curtha ar ais chuige ag oifigeach ceannais speisialta de bhun alt 12 den Acht seo a chur i mbosca ballóide na bpostvótálaithe agus déileálfar dá éis sin leis na forchlúdaigh agus na doiciméid a bheidh iontu amhail is dá mba chlúdaigh agus doiciméid iad a chuir postvótálaithe ar ais chuig an gceann comhairimh.
(3) Ag cur na bhforálacha de na hAchtanna a bhaineann le postvótálaithe i bhfeidhm maidir le vótálaithe speisialta—
(a) déanfar tagairt do “admháil” a fhorléiriú i ndáil le doiciméid is iomchuí do vótálaithe speisialta, mar thagairt do “dearbhú céannachta”, agus
(b) déanfar tagairt do “admháil arna shíniú go cuí” a fhorléiriú, i ndáil le doiciméid den sórt sin, mar thagairt do “dearbhú céannachta arna shíniú agus arna fhianú go cuí”, agus
(c) mura mbeidh an lipéad dá dtagraítear in alt 11 den Acht seo greamaithe den fhorchlúdach nó mura mbeidh an lipéad sin sínithe go cuí ag an oifigeach ceannais speisialta agus ag an gcomhalta den Gharda Síochána, diúltóidh an ceann comhairimh don fhorchlúdach agus déileálfaidh sé leis amhail is dá mba admháil é nár síníodh go cuí.
Údarú chun vótáil ag stáisiún vótaíochta eile.
14.—Más rud é, 7 lá ar a laghad roimh an lá vótaíochta, go ndéanfaidh toghthóir, nach mbeidh a ainm i liosta na bpostvótálaithe ná ar an liosta vótálaithe speisialta, a dheimhniú don cheann comhairimh nach bhfuil ar a chumas, mar gheall ar thinneas coirp nó míchumas coirp a bheith air, vótáil ag an stáisiún vótaíochta ag a mbeadh sé i dteideal vótáil seachas sin, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh, más é a thuairim go mbeadh sé níos áisiúla don toghthóir, mar gheall ar a thinneas coirp nó a mhíchumas coirp, vótáil ag stáisiún vótaíochta eile atá suite—
(a) i gcás toghchán do Thionól na hEorpa, sa chontae céanna nó sa chontaebhuirg chéanna, nó
(b) i gcás toghcháin áitiúil, sa toghlimistéar áitiúil céanna, nó
(c) in aon chás eile, sa dáilcheantar céanna,
a údarú i scríbhinn don toghthóir vótáil ag cibé stáisiún vótaíochta a bheidh sonraithe san údarú in ionad vótáil ag an stáisiún vótaíochta ag a mbeadh an toghthóir i dteideal vótáil seachas sin.
Measfar daoine áirithe a bheith ina gcónaí sa Stát.
15.—(1) San alt seo—
ciallaíonn “údarás clárúcháin iomchuí” an t-údarás clárucháin don limistéar ina bhfuil an t-áitreabh dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (3) (a) den alt seo suite;
tá le “státseirbhíseach” agus “státseirbhís” na bríonna céanna, faoi seach, atá leo in Acht Rialuithe na Stát-Sheirbhíse, 1956;
ciallaíonn “duine cáilithe” saoránach d'Éirinn a bhfuil 18 mbliana d'aois slánaithe aige agus ar státseirbhíseach é agus ar comhalta de mhisean é agus atá, mar gheall ar cheanglais a chuid dualgas, ag fónamh lasmuigh den Stát de thuras na huaire;
ciallaíonn “comhalta de mhisean” duine—
(a) a thagann faoi réim an mhínithe ar “comhaltaí an mhisiúin” i gCoinbhinsiún Vín ar Chaidreamh Taidhleoireachta a rinneadh i Vín an t-ochtú lá déag d'Aibreán, 1961, mar atá leagtha amach sa Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Chaidreamh agus Díolúine Taidhleoireachta, 1967, nó
(b) a thagann faoi réim an mhínithe ar “comhaltaí an phoist chonsalachta” atá i gCoinbhinsiún Vín ar Chaidreamh Consalachta a rinneadh i Vín an ceathrú lá is fiche d'Aibreán, 1963, mar atá leagtha amach sa Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht sin, nó
(c) is comhalta de Bhuan-Mhisean ó Éirinn chuig eagraíocht idirnáisiúnta;
ciallaíonn “céile” duine is céile do dhuine cáilithe agus is saoránach d'Éirinn agus a bhfuil 18 mbliana d'aois slánaithe aige agus a chónaíonn leis an duine cáilithe lasmuigh den Stát.
(2) Aon duine a dheimhníonn don údarás clárúcháin iomchuí gur duine cáilithe é, mar aon le céile an duine sin, measfar, chun críocha Chuid II d'Acht 1963, alt 3 den Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977, agus alt 5 den Acht Toghcháin (Leasú), 1985, gnáthchónaí a bheith orthu, ar an dáta cáilitheach, san áitreabh sa Stát ina mbeadh cónaí ar an duine cáilithe mura mbeadh ceanglais a chuid dualgas.
(3) Féadfaidh duine cáilithe, tráth nach déanaí ná an dáta forordaithe, ráiteas san fhoirm fhorordaithe a chur chuig an údarás clárúcháin iomchuí ina dtabharfar an fhaisnéis seo a leanas—
(a) seoladh an áitribh sa Stát ina mbeadh cónaí air ar an dáta cáilitheach mura mbeadh ceanglais a chuid dualgas; agus
(b) sonraí i dtaobh a chéile (más ann).
(4) Beidh ag gabháil le gach ráiteas ó dhuine de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo deimhniú san fhoirm fhorordaithe ó Rúnaí na Roinne Gnóthaí Eachtracha á dheimhniú gur duine cáilithe an duine sin.
(5) D'éagmais fianaise dá mhalairt, glacfar mar ráiteas cruinn le ráiteas ó dhuine cáilithe maidir leis an áitreabh sa Stát ina mbeadh cónaí air ar an dáta cáilitheach agus déanfar eisean agus a chéile (más ann) a chlárú mar thoghthóir i leith an áitribh sin.
(6) Déanfaidh an t-údarás clárúcháin iomchuí ainm gach duine a measfar, de bhua an ailt seo, gnáthchónaí a bheith air sa Stát ar an dáta cáilitheach a thaifeadadh i liosta na bpostvótálaithe.
(7) Aon duine a chuireann ráiteas chuig údarás clárúcháin de bhun fho-alt (3) den alt seo cuirfidh sé ar fáil don údarás clárúcháin iomchuí aon fhaisnéis a éileoidh an t-údarás clárúcháin sin chun críocha an ailt seo agus beidh feidhm ag forálacha alt 7 (3) (arna leasú leis an Acht seo) d'Acht 1963 maidir le héileamh ó údarás clárúcháin faoin alt seo.
Vótáil ag toghthóirí dá dtagraítear in alt 15 den Acht seo.
16.—(1) Na forálacha de na hAchtanna i ndáil le postvótáil beidh feidhm acu maidir le heisiúint páipéar ballóide chuig toghthóirí a bhfuil a n-ainmneacha taifeadta i liosta na bpostvótálaithe de bhun alt 15 den Acht seo, agus maidir leis na toghthóirí sin do chur na bpáipéar ballóide sin ar ais, faoi réir na modhnuithe seo a leanas—
(a) go ndéanfaidh toghthóir a bhfuil a ainm taifeadta amhlaidh i liosta na bpostvótálaithe, d'fhonn a vóta a chaitheamh, na nithe seo a leanas san ord seo a leanas i láthair duine údaraithe agus gan aon duine eile i láthair—
(i) páipéar ballóide (a ndeimhneoidh an duine údaraithe dó féin i ndáil leis go bhfuil sé neamh-mharcáilte) agus foirm um dhearbhú céannachta san fhoirm fhorordaithe a thabhairt ar aird don duine údaraithe;
(ii) an dearbhú céannachta sin a dúradh a chomhlánú agus a shíniú;
(iii) an dearbhú céannachta a thabhairt de láimh don duine údaraithe agus déanfaidh seisean, má tá sé deimhin de chéannacht an duine a shínigh an dearbhú céannachta, an síniú a fhianú;
(iv) a pháipéar ballóide a mharcáil go rúnda;
(v) an páipéar ballóide marcáilte a chur sa chlúdach páipéir ballóide agus an clúdach sin a shéalú go héifeachtúil;
(vi) an clúdach páipéir ballóide agus an dearbhú céannachta comhlánaithe a chur san fhorchlúdach agus an clúdach sin a shéalú go héifeachtúil,
(b) go ndéanfar tagairt do “admháil”, i ndáil le doiciméid is iomchuí do thoghthóirí den sórt sin, a fhorléiriú mar thagairt do “dearbhú céannachta”, agus
(c) go ndéanfar tagairt do “admháil arna síniú go cuí”, i ndáil le doiciméid den sórt sin, a fhorléiriú mar thagairt do “dearbhú céannachta arna shíniú agus arna fhianú go cuí”.
(2) San alt seo—
ciallaíonn “duine údaraithe” duine arna cheapadh ag Rúnaí na Roinne Gnóthaí Eachtracha chun bheith ina dhuine údaraithe chun críocha an ailt seo;
tá le “clúdach páipéir ballóide” agus le “forchlúdach” na bríonna a shonraítear sa Ceathrú Sceideal (arna ionadú leis an Acht seo) a ghabhann le hAcht 1923.
Leasú ar Chuid I den Cúigiú Sceideal a ghabhann le hAcht 1923.
17.—Leasaítear leis seo Riail 9 (arna hionadú le hAcht 1963) de Chuid I den Cúigiú Sceideal a ghabhann le hAcht 1923—
(a) tríd an mír seo a leanas a chur isteach i ndiaidh mhír (1):
“(1A) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne ainm iarrthóra i bpáipéar ainmniúcháin más rud é—
(a) nach é an t-ainm sin an t-ainm a thugtar de ghnáth ar an iarrthóir; nó
(b) go bhfuil an t-ainm sin míthreorach agus gur dóigh go gcuirfeadh sé daoine amú; nó
(c) go bhfuil an t-ainm sin rófhada; nó
(d) go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil san ainm sin;
agus i gcás go gcuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne ainm amhlaidh, ligfidh sé don iarrthóir nó dá mholtóir, de réir mar is iomchuí, an t-ainm a leasú agus, mura leasaítear amhlaidh é chun sástacht an cheann comhairimh, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh é a leasú, de réir mar is cuí leis, tar éis dó dul i gcomhairle leis an iarrthóir nó lena mholtóir, má bhíonn ceachtar acu i láthair, nó féadfaidh sé a rialú go bhfuil an páipéar ainmniúcháin neamhbhailí mar nach ndearnadh amach i gceart é.”,
agus
(b) tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur isteach i mír (2) i ndiaidh “rófhada”, eadhon, “nó go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil inti seachas, más iomchuí, tagairt d'oifig phoiblí nó thofa atá, nó a bhí tráth, á sealbhú ag an iarrthóir”, agus tá an mhír sin, arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an mír seo.
AN TÁBLA |
(2) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne na tuairisce ar iarrthóir i bpáipéar ainmniúcháin más é a thuairim go bhfuil sí mícheart, nach leor í chun an t-iarrthóir a aithint, nó go bhfuil sí rófhada nó go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil inti seachas, más iomchuí, tagairt d'oifig phoiblí nó thofa atá, nó a bhí tráth, á sealbhú ag an iarrthóir; má chuireann an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne na tuairisce amhlaidh, ligfidh sé don iarrthóir nó dá mholtóir, de réir mar is iomchuí, an tuairisc a leasú agus, mura leasaítear amhlaidh í chun sástacht an cheann comhairimh, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh í a leasú nó í a scriosadh, de réir mar is cuí leis, tar éis dó dul i gcomhairle leis an iarrthóir nó lena mholtóir, má bhíonn ceachtar acu i láthair, nó féadfaidh sé rialú a thabhairt go bhfuil an páipéar ainmniúcháin neamhbhailí mar nach ndearnadh amach i gceart é. |
Leasú ar an gCéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977.
18.—Leasaítear leis seo Riail 10 den Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionol na hEorpa, 1977—
(a) tríd an mír seo a leanas a chur isteach i ndiaidh mhír (1):
“(1A) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne ainm iarrthóra i bpáipéar ainmniúcháin más rud é—
(a) nach é an t-ainm sin an t-ainm a thugtar de ghnáth ar an iarrthóir; nó
(b) go bhfuil an t-ainm sin míthreorach agus gur dóigh go gcuirfeadh sé daoine amú; nó
(c) go bhfuil an t-ainm sin rófada; nó
(d) go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil san ainm sin;
agus i gcás go gcuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne ainm amhlaidh ligfidh sé don iarrthóir nó dá mholtóir, de réir mar is iomchuí, an t-ainm a leasú agus, mura leasaítear amhlaidh é chun sástacht an cheann comhairimh, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh é a leasú, de réir mar is cuí leis, tar éis dó dul i gcomhairle leis an iarrthóir nó lena mholtóir, má bhíonn ceachtar acu i láthair, nó féadfaidh sé a rialú go bhfuil an páipéar ainmniúcháin neamhbhailí mar nach ndearnadh amach i gceart é.”,
agus
(b) tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur isteach i mír (3) i ndiaidh “rófhada”, eadhon, “nó go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil inti seachas, más iomchuí, tagairt d'oifig phoiblí nó thofa atá, nó a bhí tráth, á sealbhú ag an iarrthóir” agus tá an mhír sin, arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an mír seo.
AN TÁBLA |
(3) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne na tuairisce ar iarrthóir i bpáipéar ainmniúcháin más é a thuairim go bhfuil sí mícheart nó nach leor í chun an t-iarrthóir a aithint, nó go bhfuil sí rófhada nó go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil inti seachas, más iomchuí, tagairt d'oifig phoiblí nó thofa atá, nó a bhí tráth, á sealbhú ag an iarrthóir. Nuair a chuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne tuairisce amhlaidh, ligfidh sé don iarrthóir nó dá mholtóir, de réir mar is iomchuí, an tuairisc a leasú agus, mura leasaítear amhlaidh í chun sástacht an cheann comhairimh, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh í a leasú nó í a scriosadh, de réir mar is cuí leis, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an iarrthóir nó lena mholtóir, má bhíonn ceachtar acu i láthair, nó féadfaidh sé a rialú go bhfuil an páipéar ainmniúcháin neamhbhailí mar nach ndearnadh amach i gceart é. |
Leasú ar na Rialacháin um Thoghcháin Áitiúla, 1965.
19.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 22 de na Rialacháin um Thoghcháin Áitiúla, 1965 (I.R. Uimh. 128 de 1965)—
(a) tríd an mír seo a leanas a chur isteach i ndiaidh mhír (1):
“(1A) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne ainm iarrthóra i bpáipéar ainmniúcháin más rud é—
(a) nach é an t-ainm sin an t-ainm a thugtar de ghnáth ar an iarrthóir; nó
(b) go bhfuil an t-ainm sin míthreorach agus gur dóigh go gcuirfeadh sé daoine amú; nó
(c) go bhfuil an t-ainm sin rófhada; nó
(d) go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil san ainm sin;
agus i gcás go gcuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne ainm amhlaidh ligfidh sé don iarrthóir nó dá mholtóir, de réir mar is iomchuí, an t-ainm a leasú agus, mura leasaítear amhlaidh é chun sástacht an cheann comhairimh, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh é a leasú, de réir mar is cuí leis, tar éis dó dul i gcomhairle leis an iarrthóir nó lena mholtóir, má bhíonn ceachtar acu i láthair, nó féadfaidh sé a rialú go bhfuil an páipéar ainmniúcháin neamhbhailí mar nach ndearnadh amach i gceart é.”,
(b) tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur isteach i mír (2) i ndiaidh “rófhada”, eadhon, “nó go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil inti seachas, más iomchuí, tagairt d'oifig phoiblí nó thofa atá, nó a bhí tráth, á sealbhú ag an iarrthóir” agus tá an mhír sin, arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an mír seo.
AN TÁBLA |
(2) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh á gcoinne na tuairisce ar iarrthóir i bpáipéar ainmniúcháin más é a thuairim go bhfuil sí mícheart, nach leor í chun an t-iarrthóir a aithint, nó go bhfuil sí rófhada nó go bhfuil tagairt pholaitiúil inti seachas, más iomchuí, tagairt d'oifig phoiblí nó thofa atá nó a bhí tráth, á sealbhú ag an iarrthóir. Má chuireann an ceann comhairimh i gcoinne na tuairisce amhlaidh, ligfidh sé don iarrthóir nó dá mholtóir, de réir mar is iomchuí, an tuairisc a leasú agus, mura leasaítear amhlaidh í chun sástachta an cheann comhairimh, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh í a leasú nó a scriosadh, de réir mar is cuí leis, tar éis dul i gcomhairle leis an iarrthóir nó lena mholtóir, má bhíonn ceachtar acu i láthair, nó féadfaidh sé rialú a thabhairt go bhfuil an páipéar ainmniúcháin neamhbhailí mar nach ndearnadh amach i gceart é. |
Modhnú ar Acht 1963 agus ar an Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977.
20.—(1) Déanfar ailt 26 (a bhaineann leis an gceart chun vótáil ag toghchán Dála), 51 (a bhaineann leis an gceart chun vótáil ag toghchán uachtaráin), 70 (a bhaineann leis an gceart chun vótáil ag reifreann), agus 85 (a bhaineann leis an gceart chun vótáil ag toghchán áitiúil) d'Acht 1963, agus Riail 47 (a bhaineann leis an gceart chun vótáil ag toghchán don Tionól) den Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Thoghchán do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977, a fhorléiriú, agus beidh éifeacht leo, faoi réir an mhodhnaithe seo a leanas, is é sin le rá, go bhféadfaidh an ceann comhairimh nó an t-oifigeach ceannais agus, má iarrtar air déanamh amhlaidh thar ceann aon iarrthóra nó gníomhaire pearsanaíochta a bheidh i láthair sa stáisiún vótaíochta ag toghchán, nach foláir dó, a iarraidh ar aon duine, an tráth a bheidh iarratas á dhéanamh ag an duine sin le haghaidh páipéir ballóide, ach ní tráth dá éis sin, doiciméad sonraithe a thabhairt ar aird agus, má mhainníonn an duine an doiciméad sin a thabhairt ar aird, nó mura deimhin leis an gceann comhairimh nó leis an oifigeach ceannais gurb é an duine sin an duine lena mbaineann an doiciméad, ní thabharfar cead don duine sin vótáil.
(2) Chun críocha an mhodhnaithe ar Acht 1963 agus ar an Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977, a dhéantar le fo-alt (1) den alt seo, ciallaíonn “doiciméad sonraithe” cibé doiciméad a bheidh forordaithe.
Rialacha postvótála.
21.—Leasaítear leis seo Acht 1923 tríd an ábhar atá leagtha amach sa Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo a chur in ionad an Ceathrú Sceideal (arna leasú leis an Acht Toghcháin, 1960, le hAcht 1963, leis an Acht Toghcháin (Leasú) 1972, agus leis an Acht um Sheirbhísí Poist agus Teileachumarsáide, 1983) a ghabhann leis an Acht sin.
Leasú ar alt 7 d'Acht 1963.
22.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 7 d'Acht 1963 trí “cúig chéad punt” a chur in ionad “fiche punt” i bhfo-alt (3), agus tá an fo-alt sin, arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an alt seo.
AN TÁBLA |
(3) Má cheanglaítear go cuí ar aon duine de bhun rialachán faoin alt seo, aon eolas a bheidh aige agus a theastóidh ón údarás clárúcháin, nó ón gcláraitheoir contae, chun críocha a ndualgas, a thabhairt uaidh agus nach dtabharfaidh sé an t-eolas sin nó go dtabharfaidh sé eolas bréagach, beidh sé ciontach i gcion agus ar a chiontú go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná cúig chéad punt a chur air. |
Leasú ar alt 1 den Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977.
23.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 1 den Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977, tríd an míniú seo a leanas a chur in ionad an mhínithe ar “liosta na bpostvótálaithe”:
“ciallaíonn ‘liosta na bpostvótálaithe’ an liosta a ullmhófar de bhun alt 7 (4) d'Acht 1963 arna leathnú le halt 15 den Acht Toghcháin (Leasú) (Uimh. 2), 1986;”.
Cionta agus pionóis.
24.—(1) Aon duine—
(a) a thabharfaidh go feasach, i ndáil le hiarratas de bhun alt 3 den Acht seo, nó i ndáil le ráiteas de bhun alt 15 den Acht seo, aon fhaisnéis atá bréagach nó míthreorach, nó
(b) a dhéanfaidh iarratas in ainm duine eile chun bheith taifeadta sa liosta vótálaithe speisialta, nó
(c) a thabharfaidh ráiteas de bhun alt 15 den Acht seo in ainm duine eile,
beidh sé ciontach i gcion.
(2) Aon duine—
(a) a dhéanann go toiliúil agus gan údarás dleathach, aon pháipéar ballóide nó doiciméad eile a chuirtear chuig postvótálaí faoi Riail 3 den Ceathrú Sceideal a ghabhann le hAcht 1923 (arna ionadú leis an Acht seo), nó faoi Riail 26 (3) den Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977, nó Airteagal 33 de na Rialacháin um Thoghcháin Áitiúla, 1965 (I.R. Uimh. 128 de 1965), a thógáil, a scriosadh, a cheilt nó a oscailt nó baint leo ar dhóigh eile, nó
(b) a dhéanann go feasach, gan údarás dleathach, aon pháipéar ballóide nó doiciméad eile den sórt sin a sholáthar do dhuine seachas an duine a bhfuil teideal dleathach aige é a fháil,
beidh sé ciontach i gcion.
(3) Aon duine a chabhróidh nó a neartóidh le duine nó a chomhairleoidh dó, nó a thabharfaidh i gcrích, cion a dhéanamh faoin Acht seo nó a shirfidh nó a ghríosóidh aon duine eile chun cion den sórt sin a dhéanamh, beidh sé ciontach i gcion.
(4) Aon duine a bheidh ciontach i gcion faoin Acht seo dlífear—
(a) ar é a chiontú go hachomair, fíneáil nach mó ná £800, nó príosúnacht ar feadh téarma nach faide ná 6 mhí nó, de rogha na cúirte, an fhíneáil sin agus an phríosúnacht sin le chéile, a chur air, nó
(b) ar é a chiontú ar díotáil, fíneáil nach mó ná £2,000, nó príosúnacht ar feadh téarma nach faide ná 12 mhí, nó, de rogha na cúirte, an fhíneáil sin agus an phríosúnacht sin le chéile, a chur air.
Rialacháin.
25.—(1) Féadfaidh an tAire Rialacháin a dhéanamh chun aon ábhar nó ní a fhorordú a dtagraítear dó san Acht seo mar ábhar nó ní a bheidh forordaithe nó le forordú.
(2) Gach Rialachán arna dhéanamh faoin Acht seo leagfar é faoi bhráid gach Tí den Oireachtas a luaithe is féidir tar éis a dhéanta agus má dhéanann ceachtar Teach acu sin, laistigh den lá is fiche a shuífidh an Teach sin tar éis an Rialachán a leagan faoina bhráid, rún a rith ag neamhniú an Rialacháin, beidh an Rialachán ar neamhní dá réir sin ach sin gan dochar do bhailíocht aon ní a rinneadh roimhe sin faoin Rialachán.
Caiteachais.
26.—(1) Beidh feidhm ag forálacha alt 7 (9) d'Acht 1963 maidir leis na caiteachais a thabhóidh údarás clárúcháin ag ullmhú an liosta vótálaithe speisialta dó de bhun an Achta seo.
(2) Na seirbhísí a thabharfaidh agus na caiteachais a thabhóidh ceann comhairimh ag comhlíonadh fhorálacha an Achta seo dó is seirbhísí nó caiteachais a bheidh iontu a thabharfaidh nó a thabhóidh an ceann comhairimh sin chun críocha toghcháin.
Cúlghairm.
27.—(1) Cúlghairtear leis seo na Rialacháin um Thoghcháin Áitiúla (Postvótáil), 1974 (I.R. Uimh. 118 de 1974) agus na Rialacháin um Thoghcháin Áitiúla (Postvótáil) (Leasú), 1985 (I.R. Uimh. 68 de 1985).
(2) Déanfar na Rialacháin um Thoghcháin Áitiúla, 1965 (I.R. Uimh. 128 de 1965) a fhorléiriú, agus beidh éifeacht leo, amhail is dá mba nach ndearnadh na Rialacháin a chúlghairtear le fo-alt (1) den alt seo.
Gearrtheideal, comhlua agus forléiriú.
28.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht Toghcháin (Leasú) (Uimh. 2), 1986, a ghairm den Acht seo.
(2) Folóidh an comhlua “na hAchtanna Toghcháin, 1923 go 1986” an tAcht seo.
(3) Folóidh an comhlua “na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977 go 1986” an tAcht seo sa mhéid go mbaineann an tAcht seo le toghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa.
(4) Féadfar Achtanna Toghchán an Uachtaráin, 1937 go 1986, a ghairm den Acht seo, sa mhéid go mbaineann sé le toghcháin uachtaráin, agus d'Achtanna Toghchán an Uachtaráin, 1937 go 1985, le chéile.
(5) Folóidh an comhlua “Achtanna an Reifrinn, 1942 go 1986” an tAcht seo sa mhéid go mbaineann an t-Acht seo le reifrinn.
(6) Féadfar na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin Áitiúla, 1963 go 1986, a ghairm den Acht seo, sa mhéid go mbaineann sé le toghcháin áitiúla, agus de na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin Áitiúla, 1963 go 1974, le chéile.
(7) Déanfar na hAchtanna Toghcháin, 1923 go 1986, a fhorléiriú le chéile mar aon Acht amháin.
(8) Déanfar na hAchtanna um Thoghcháin do Thionól na hEorpa, 1977 go 1986, a fhorléiriú le chéile mar aon Acht amháin.
(9) Déanfar Achtanna Toghchán an Uachtaráin, 1937 go 1986, a fhorléiriú le chéile mar aon Acht amháin.
(10) Déanfar Achtanna an Reifrinn, 1942 go 1986, a fhorléiriú le chéile mar aon Acht amháin.
AN SCEIDEAL
“An Ceathrú Sceideal
Rialacha Postvótála
1. (1) An páipéar ballóide a chuirfear chuig postvótálaithe beidh sé san fhoirm chéanna leis na páipéir bhallóide a sheachadfar ar thoghthóirí eile agus beidh siad do-aitheanta óna chéile.
(2) An admháil a chuirfear chuig postvótálaithe i dteannta an pháipéir ballóide beidh sí san fhoirm fhorordaithe agus beidh clóbhuailte uirthi na treoracha forordaithe don vótálaí.
2. Féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh, a chúntóirí agus a chléirigh, comhaltaí den Gharda Síochána ar dualgas, gníomhaire toghcháin gach iarrthóra nó duine éigin arna cheapadh ag an ngníomhaire toghcháin sin, agus ní fhéadfaidh aon duine eile ach amháin le cead ón gceann comhairimh, a bheith i láthair ag na himeachtaí an tráth a bheidh páipéir bhallóide á n-éisiúint, agus an tráth a bheidh boscaí ballóide na bpostvótálaithe agus na clúdaigh iontu á n-oscailt.
3. (1) Déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh, tráth nach déanaí ná an lá i ndiaidh an lae is deireanaí chun ainmniúcháin iarrthóirí ag toghchán a ghlacadh, fógra a thabhairt do ghníomhaire toghcháin gach iarrthóra i dtaobh an ama ag a n-eiseoidh sé agus an ionaid ina n-eiseoidh sé na páipéir bhallóide, agus i dtaobh an lín daoine a fhéadfaidh gach gníomhaire a cheapadh chun bheith i láthair ag an eisiúint sin a dúradh agus, i gcás aon pháipéir bhallóide a eisiúint dá éis sin, tabharfaidh an ceann comhairimh do ghníomhaire toghcháin gach iarrthóra, a luaithe is féidir, fógra i dtaobh an ama ag a ndéanfaidh sé agus an ionaid ina ndéanfaidh sé an eisiúint sin dá éis sin agus i dtaobh an lín daoine a fhéadfaidh gach gníomhaire a cheapadh chun bheith i láthair ag an eisiúint sin.
(2) Déanfar gach páipéar ballóide a eiseofar a mharcáil le marc oifigiúil a bheidh cabhraithe nó pollta ionas go mbeidh sé le feiceáil ar dhá thaobh an pháipéir, agus glaofar amach uimhir (lena n-áirítear litir an cheantair vótaíochta), ainm agus tuairisc an toghthóra mar a luaitear iad ar liosta na bpostvótálaithe, agus cuirfear marc ar chóip de liosta na bpostvótálaithe os coinne uimhir an toghthóra chun a chur in iúl gur eisíodh páipéar ballóide chuig an toghthóir, ach gan uimhir an pháipéir ballóide a eisíodh chuige a thaispeáint.
(3) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh i gclúdach a bheidh dírithe chuig an bpostvótálaí—
(a) an páipéar ballóide;
(b) an fhoirm admhála;
(c) clúdach (dá ngairtear ‘forchlúdach’ sa Sceideal seo) a bheidh dírithe chuig an gceann comhairimh;
(d) clúdach níos lú, ar a mbeidh ‘clúdach an pháipéir ballóide’ marcáilte;
agus dúnfaidh sé an clúdach céadluaite sin go héifeachtúil.
(4) Comhairfidh an ceann comhairimh na clúdaigh go léir a bheidh dírithe chuig na postvótálaithe agus seachadfaidh sé iad láithreach ar an ardoifig phoist is cóngaraí nó ar cibé oifig eile a shocrófar leis an bpríomh-mháistir poist, agus stampálfaidh an máistir poist dátstampa an Phoist ar fhoirm admhála, a bheidh le tíolacadh ag an gceann comhairimh, ina luafar an méid clúdach a seachadadh amhlaidh, agus cuirfidh sé na clúdaigh sin ar aghaidh láithreach lena seachadadh ar na daoine a bhfuil siad dírithe chucu.
(5) I gcás go ndéanfar clúdach, ina bhfuil páipéar ballóide agus doiciméid eile dá dtagraítear sa Riail seo a sheoladh ar ais, roimh an lá vótaíochta, chuig an gceann comhairimh mar chlúdach nár seachadadh ar phostvótálaí, féadfaidh an ceann comhairimh an clúdach a athdhíriú agus é a chur leis an bpost chuig an vótálaí sin.
4. (1) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh bosca ballóide nó boscaí ballóide ar fáil chun na forchlúdaigh a ghlacadh an tráth a chuirfidh postvótálaithe ar ais iad.
(2) Déanfar, an tráth a eiseofar na páipéir phostbhallóide, gach bosca ballóide den sórt sin a thaispeáint, agus é ar oscailt agus folamh, do na gníomhairí a bheidh i láthair, agus séalófar é le séala an cheann comhairimh agus le séalaí cibé acu de na gníomhairí ar mian leo a séalaí a chur leis, agus marcálfar ‘bosca ballóide na bpostvótálaithe’, maille le hainm an dáilcheantair nó an toghlaigh, air, agus déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh socrú chun an bosca ballóide sin a choimeád slán sábháilte.
5. A luaithe a gheobhaidh an ceann comhairimh forchlúdaigh cuirfidh sé na forchlúdaigh sin agus iad neamhoscailte i mbosca ballóide na bpostvótálaithe.
6. Más rud é, go bhfaighidh an ceann comhairimh roimh chríochnú na vótaíochta clúdach seachas forchlúdach agus go bhfaighidh sé ann aon doiciméad ab iomchuí a chur chuige i bhforchlúdach—
(a) dúnfaidh sé an clúdach go daingean;
(b) formhuineoidh sé air, agus síneoidh sé, ráiteas á rá gur dhún sé an clúdach gan baint lena raibh ann;
(c) cuirfidh sé an clúdach dúnta i mbosca ballóide na bpostvótálaithe;
(d) déileálfaidh sé feasta leis an gclúdach mar fhorchlúdach;
agus aon tagairt sa Sceideal seo d'fhorchlúdach forléireofar í mar thagairt a fholaíonn tagairt do chlúdach a mbeidh an ceann comhairimh tar éis déileáil leis de réir na Rialach seo.
7. Ag an uair a bheidh ceaptha do chríochnú na vótaíochta déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh—
(a) gach ceann de bhoscaí ballóide na bpostvótálaithe a shéalú sa dóigh nach bhféadfar a thuilleadh páipéar a chur isteach ann, nó
(b) gach bosca den sórt sin a oscailt láithreach agus gach a bhfuil ann a thógáil amach agus déileáil leo de réir Riail 8 den Sceideal seo.
8. (1) Osclóidh an ceann comhairimh boscaí ballóide na bpostvótálaithe, i láthair na ngníomhairí, roimh an am a bheidh ceaptha do chomhaireamh na vótaí.
(2) Tabharfaidh an ceann comhairimh do ghníomhaire toghcháin gach iarrthóra fógra ceithre uair an chloig is fiche ar a laghad, i scríbhinn, i dtaobh an ama ag a n-osclóidh sé, agus i dtaobh an ionaid ina n-osclóidh sé, boscaí ballóide na bpostvótálaithe, agus na clúdaigh a bheidh iontu, agus i dtaobh an lín daoine a fhéadfaidh an gníomhaire sin a cheapadh chun bheith i láthair ag an oscailt. Tabharfaidh an ceann comhairimh saoráidí réasúnacha do na gníomhairí sin d'fhonn faire ar na himeachtaí le linn oscailt na mboscaí agus gach faisnéis ina thaobh sin is féidir leis a thabhairt dóibh i gcomhréir le stiúradh ordúil na n-imeachtaí agus le comhlíonadh a fheidhmeanna.
(3) Nuair a osclófar bosca ballóide postvótálaithe, tógfaidh an ceann comhairimh na forchlúdaigh amach as agus comhairfidh sé agus scríobhfaidh sé síos líon na bhforchlúdach a tógadh amach as amhlaidh, agus osclóidh sé ansin gach forchlúdach ar leithligh agus scrúdóidh sé an admháil.
(4) Má bhíonn an admháil sínithe go cuí, cuirfidh sé an admháil agus an clúdach páipéir ballóide i ngabhdáin ar leithligh nó, mura bhfuil an páipéar ballóide i gclúdach páipéir ballóide, cuirfidh sé an admháil sa ghabhdán iomchuí agus cuirfidh sé an páipéar ballóide, gan dífhilleadh a dhéanamh air más féidir, i mbosca ballóide de réir Riail 10 den Sceideal seo.
(5) Mura deimhin leis gur síníodh an admháil go cuí, formhuineoidh sé ‘diúltaithe’ ar an admháil agus déanfaidh sé an clúdach páipéir ballóide, gan an clúdach sin a oscailt, nó, mura mbeidh aon chlúdach den sórt sin ann, an páipéar ballóide, a chur i gceangal léi.
(6) Má dhealraíonn sé nach bhfuil admháil ag gabháil leis an gclúdach páipéir ballóide osclóidh an ceann comhairimh an clúdach, agus má bhíonn an admháil ann, déileálfaidh sé leis an admháil sin agus leis an bpáipéar ballóide sin de réir na Rialacha sa Sceideal seo.
(7) Marcálfar ‘diúltaithe’ ar aon admháil nach mbeidh páipéar ballóide ag gabháil léi agus ar aon pháipéar ballóide nach mbeidh admháil ag gabháil leis.
(8) Nuair a gheofar páipéar ballóide agus admháil le chéile, ní dhiúltófar don pháipéar ballóide de bhíthin amháin nár cuireadh an páipéar ballóide agus an admháil, nó ceachtar díobh, sna clúdaigh chuí nó sa chlúdach cuí nó nach raibh aon chlúdach acu sin dúnta.
9. (1) Má iarrann gníomhaire iarrthóra é taispeánfaidh an ceann comhairimh dó aon admháil a bhfuil sé ag diúltú di ar an bhforas nach bhfuil sí sínithe go cuí.
(2) Déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh na hadmhálacha diúltaithe go léir, mar aon leis na clúdaigh nó na páipéir bhallóide, cibé acu é, a bhí ag gabháil leo, a choimeád ar leithligh ó na doiciméid eile go léir.
10. Nuair a bheidh na forchlúdaigh in aon bhosca ballóide postvótálaithe oscailte agus nuair a bheidh déileáilte lena bhfuil iontu faoin dá Riail sin roimhe seo, osclóidh an ceann comhairimh gach clúdach páipéir ballóide nár osclaíodh (seachas na clúdaigh pháipéir ballóide dá dtagraítear i Riail 8 (5) den Sceideal seo) agus cuirfidh sé an páipéar ballóide, gan dífhilleadh a dhéanamh air, más féidir, i mbosca ballóide a taispeánadh agus a séalaíodh roimhe sin sa dóigh a fhoráiltear i Riail 4 den Sceideal seo, agus déileálfar leis an mbosca ballóide sin ina dhiaidh sin mar bhosca ballóide chun críocha Riail 32 de Chuid I den Cúigiú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo (arna ionadú le halt 41 den Acht Toghcháin, 1963).
11. (1) Déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh, a luaithe is indéanta tar éis eisiúint na bpáipéar ballóide a bheith críochnaithe agus i láthair ghníomhairí na n-iarrthóirí, an chóip mharcáilte de liosta na bpostvót álaithe agus comhdhuillí na bpáipéar ballóide a chur le chéile i bpaicéid ar leithligh, a bheidh séalaithe lena shéala féin agus séalaithe ag cibé de na gníomhairí ar mian leo a séalaí a chur leo: ar choinníoll, i gcás go ndéanfar aon pháipéir bhallóide a eisiúint dá éis sin, go bhféadfaidh an ceann comhairimh an paicéad séalaithe ina bhfuil an chóip mharcáilte de liosta na bpostvótálaithe a oscailt chun críocha na heisiúna sin, agus, ar an eisiúint sin a bheith críochnaithe, go ndéanfar an liosta agus comhdhuillí na bpáipéar ballóide ag an eisiúint sin a chur le chéile agus a shéalú de réir na Rialach seo.
(2) A luaithe a bheidh na páipéir bhallóide curtha isteach ag an gceann comhairimh sa bhosca ballóide a luaitear i Riail 10 den Sceideal seo, séalóidh sé i bpaicéid ar leithligh—
(a) na hadmhálacha a bhí ag gabháil le haon pháipéir bhallóide ar glacadh leo go cuí;
(b) aon admhálacha diúltaithe, mar aon leis na clúdaigh (más ann) a bhí i gceangal leo; agus
(c) aon pháipéir bhallóide dhiúltaithe, mar aon leis na clúdaigh (más ann) a bhí i gceangal leo.
(3) Nuair a gheobhaidh an ceann comhairimh forchlúdaigh tar éis chríochnú na vótaíochta, nó nuair a chuirfear ar ais mar chlúdaigh neamhsheachadta aon chlúdaigh a díríodh chuig postvótálaithe, ní osclóidh an ceann comhairimh na clúdaigh sin agus, faoi réir na gcumhachtaí atá aige chun na clúdaigh sin a athdhíriú de bhun Riail 3 (5) den Sceideal seo, séalóidh sé na clúdaigh sin i bpaicéid ar leithligh.
(4) Maidir le gach paicéad a luaitear i míreanna (1), (2) agus (3) den Riail seo, déanfaidh an ceann comhairimh tuairisc faoina bhfuil ann agus ainm an dáilcheantair nó an toghlaigh agus dáta an toghcháin lena mbaineann an t-ábhar ann a fhormhuiniú ar an bpaicéad sin.
(5) Cuirfidh an ceann comhairimh na nithe seo a leanas ar aghaidh chuig Cléireach na Dála an tráth céanna a mbeidh na doiciméid a luaitear i Riail 36 de Chuid I den Cúigiú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo á gcur ar aghaidh aige, eadhon—
(a) aon phaicéid dá dtagraítear sna forálacha sin roimhe seo den Riail seo, agus
(b) ráiteas i cibé foirm a ordóidh an tAire Comhshaoil ina dtaispeánfar an líon páipéar ballóide a cuireadh chuig postvótálaithe, agus ina dtabharfar maidir leis na páipéir sin na sonraí a cheanglaítear a thabhairt de réir na foirme sin.
(6) Aon chlúdaigh a bheidh curtha ar ais mar chlúdaigh neamhsheachadta agus aon fhorchlúdaigh a gheobhaidh an ceann comhairimh tar éis dó na paicéid sin a dúradh a chur ar aghaidh chuig Cléireach na Dála coimeádfar iad gan iad a oscailt agus cuirfear ar aghaidh dá éis sin iad.
12. Beidh feidhm ag Rialacha 7 (arna leasú le halt 42 den Acht Toghcháin, 1963), 38, 39 (arna leasú le halt 1 (h) den Acht Toghcháin (Leasú), 1972), 40 agus 41 (arna leasú le halt 1 (i) den Acht Toghcháin (Leasú), 1972), de Chuid I den Cúigiú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo maidir leis na doiciméid a chuirfidh an ceann comhairimh chuig Cléireach na Dála faoin Riail sin roimhe seo den Sceideal seo sa dóigh chéanna a bhfuil feidhm ag na Rialacha seo maidir le doiciméid den chineál céanna a luaitear sna Rialacha sin.
13. Beidh feidhm ag Rialacha 47 agus 53 de Chuid I den Cúigiú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo maidir leis na nithe lena ndéileáiltear sa Sceideal seo amhail is dá mbeadh na Rialacha sin leagtha amach sa Sceideal seo, agus beidh feidhm ag Rialacha 49 agus 51 den Chuid sin den Sceideal sin maidir le gach gníomhaire de réir bhrí an Sceidil seo sa dóigh chéanna a bhfuil feidhm ag na Rialacha sin maidir le gníomhairí de réir bhrí an Sceidil sin.
14. Sa Sceideal seo folaíonn ‘gníomhaire’ gníomhaire toghcháin iarrthóra agus aon duine arna cheapadh ag an ngníomhaire sin chun bheith i láthair ag eisiúint nó oscailt páipéar ballóide postvótálaithe.”.
Number 35 of 1986
ELECTORAL (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) ACT, 1986
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Acts Referred to | |
1956, No. 46 | |
1967, No. 8 | |
1923, No. 12 | |
1960, No. 43 | |
1963, No. 19 | |
1972, No. 4 | |
1985, No. 12 | |
Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1986 | |
1977, No. 30 | |
European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1986 | |
Local Elections Acts, 1963 to 1974 | |
1978, No. 4 | |
Presidential Elections Acts, 1937 to 1985 | |
1983, No. 24 | |
Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1986 | |
Number 35 of 1986
ELECTORAL (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) ACT, 1986
Interpretation.
1.—In this Act—
“the Act of 1923” means the Electoral Act, 1923;
“the Act of 1963” means the Electoral Act, 1963;
“the Acts” means, as the context may require, the Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1986, the European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1986, the Presidential Elections Acts, 1937 to 1985, and the Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1986;
“appropriate time” has the meaning specified in section 10 of this Act;
“ballot paper envelope” has (other than in section 16 of this Act) the meaning specified in section 10 of this Act;
“covering envelope” has (other than in section 16 of this Act) the meaning specified in section 10 of this Act;
“election” means, as the context may require, a Dáil election, a European Assembly election, a presidential election, a referendum or a local election and “elector” shall be construed accordingly;
“medical practitioner” means a person whose name is entered in the General Register of Medical Practitioners established under the Medical Practitioners Act, 1978;
“prescribed” means prescribed by Regulations made by the Minister;
“qualifying date” means the date specified by the Minister in Regulations made pursuant to section 5 (6) (a) of the Act of 1963;
“returning officer” means, as the context may require, the returning officer at a Dáil election or at a local election or the local returning officer at a presidential election, at a European Assembly election or at a referendum;
“special presiding officer” means a person appointed to be a special presiding officer pursuant to section 9 of this Act;
“special voter” means a person whose name is included in the special voters list;
“special voters list” means the list of voters prepared by the registration authority pursuant to section 2 of this Act.
Special voters list.
2.—(1) The registration authority shall prepare a separate list (in this Act referred to as the “special voters list”) of persons (in this Act referred to as “special voters”) entitled to vote at an election in accordance with the provisions of this Act without removing the names of the special voters from the register of electors.
(2) The special voters list shall be in such form as the Minister may direct.
(3) An elector whose name is entered in the special voters list shall be entitled to vote in accordance with the provisions of section 11 of this Act and shall not be entitled to vote in any other manner.
(4) The provisions of the Acts in relation to the issue of polling cards shall not apply to special voters.
Registration of special voters.
3.—(1) The registration authority shall enter in the special voters list the name of every elector who applies to be so entered and who satisfies the registration authority that—
(a) he is unable to go in person to vote at the polling place for his polling district by reason of physical illness or physical disability suffered by him;
(b) the physical illness or physical disability is likely to continue for the period of continuance in force of the register of electors in respect of which the application to be entered as a special voter is made; and
(c) he is of sound mind and understanding and is capable of comprehending the act of voting.
(2) The following provisions shall apply in relation to an application to be entered in the special voters list pursuant to subsection (1) of this section—
(a) the application shall be in the prescribed form;
(b) the application shall be completed in accordance with the instructions provided thereon;
(c) the application shall be accompanied by the certificate referred to in section 4 of this Act;
(d) the application form, duly completed, and the certificate referred to in section 4 of this Act shall be delivered, or sent by post, so as to be received by the registration authority not later than the prescribed date.
Certificate to accompany application.
4.—An applicant to be included in the special voters list shall furnish in support of his application a certificate in the prescribed form from a medical practitioner certifying—
(a) the nature and extent of the physical illness or physical disability suffered by such applicant,
(b) an estimate of the duration of such physical illness or physical disability,
(c) that the applicant is of sound mind and understanding and is capable of comprehending the act of voting.
Applicant to provide information or documents if required.
5.—(1) An applicant to be included in the special voters list shall furnish to the registration authority any information or documents in his possession or procurement which the registration authority may require from him—
(a) so as to be satisfied that the applicant is a person to whom section 3 (1) of this Act applies, or
(b) for the purpose of their duties in relation to the preparation of the special voters list.
(2) Whenever a registration authority requires, pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, information or documents from an applicant to be included in the special voters list, such applicant shall furnish the authority with the information or documents within the time (being not less than 7 days from the day on which the request is made) specified in the requirement and, if the applicant does not supply the required information or, as the case may be, documents within the time so specified, his application to be included in the special voters list shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
Notices.
6.—The registration authority shall, within such period as may be prescribed, arrange for the giving of public notice of—
(a) the category of electors entitled to apply to be entered in the special voters list;
(b) the manner in which, and the time before which, applications must be submitted; and
(c) the times and places at which application forms may be obtained.
Provision of application forms.
7.—The registration authority shall arrange for the provision of application forms at such times and places as are specified in a notice published pursuant to section 6 of this Act, and an application form shall be supplied free of charge to any person applying therefor.
Consideration of applications.
8.—(1) Where the registration authority is satisfied that an applicant—
(a) is a person to whom section 3 (1) of this Act applies, and
(b) has duly completed his application form, and
(c) has submitted the certificate required pursuant to section 4 of this Act,
the registration authority shall—
(i) rule that the application is granted and mark the application form accordingly, and
(ii) notify the applicant of the decision.
(2) Where the registration authority is not satisfied that an applicant—
(a) is a person to whom section 3 (1) of this Act applies, or
(b) has duly completed his application form, or
(c) has submitted the certificate required pursuant to section 4 of this Act,
the registration authority shall—
(i) rule that the application is refused and mark the application form accordingly, and
(ii) notify the applicant of the decision and of the reasons therefor.
(3) Whenever an application is received by a registration authority after the prescribed date, the application shall be disregarded and the applicant shall be notified accordingly.
Special presiding officers.
9.—(1) The returning officer shall, as circumstances may require, for the purposes of this Act appoint one, or more than one, person to be a special presiding officer to carry out the functions conferred on a special presiding officer by this Act.
(2) The provisions of the Acts relating to the powers, rights and duties of a presiding officer appointed for a polling station at an election shall apply to a special presiding officer appointed under this section as if he were a presiding officer so appointed and as if the place where the special voter is casting his vote were a polling station at an election.
(3) The returning officer may perform all or any of the functions of a special presiding officer appointed under this section and the provisions of subsection (2) of this section shall apply to the returning officer while he is so performing.
(4) The provisions of the Acts relating to the right of an elector to request that his ballot paper be marked for him by a companion shall not apply in relation to a special voter.
Ballot paper etc. for special voters.
10.—(1) At the appropriate time, the returning officer shall in relation to an election cause to be delivered pursuant to section 11 of this Act to every special voter entitled to vote at that election, the following—
(a) a ballot paper for the election;
(b) a form of declaration of identity in the prescribed form;
(c) an envelope marked (and in this Act referred to as a) “ballot paper envelope”; and
(d) an envelope addressed to the returning officer (in this Act referred to as a “covering envelope”).
(2) In this section “appropriate time” means, as the context may require—
(a) in relation to a Dáil election, a presidential election, a European Assembly election or a local election, as soon as practicable after the adjournment of the election for the purpose of taking a poll; or
(b) in relation to a referendum, as soon as practicable after the date of the order of the Minister appointing the polling day at the referendum.
Voting by special voters.
11.—(1) At an election, a special presiding officer shall, in the presence of a member of the Garda Síochána, deliver to the special voter the form of declaration of identity referred to in section 10 of this Act.
(2) No person other than the special presiding officer and the member of the Garda Síochána shall be present when the special voter is voting pursuant to this section.
(3) The special voter shall complete the declaration of identity and shall sign it or, if he is unable to write, place his mark thereon and the said signature, or as the case may be mark, shall be witnessed by the special presiding officer.
(4) The special presiding officer shall, on being satisfied as to the identity of the special voter, mark a ballot paper with the official mark and deliver it to the special voter together with a ballot paper envelope.
(5) The special presiding officer shall, as soon as he has given the ballot paper and the ballot paper envelope to the special voter, place a mark against the name of the special voter concerned on a copy of the special voters list to denote that a ballot paper has been issued to such voter but without showing the number of the ballot paper so issued.
(6) The special voter shall thereupon record in secret his vote upon the ballot paper and, when he has so recorded his vote, shall fold the ballot paper so that his vote is concealed and place the ballot paper, so folded, in the ballot paper envelope and seal the envelope and hand the ballot paper envelope to the special presiding officer.
(7) The special presiding officer shall, as soon as he has received the ballot paper envelope, place it together with the completed declaration of identity in a covering envelope which he shall thereupon seal and to which he shall affix a label in the prescribed form signed by himself and the member of the Garda Síochána.
Duties of special presiding officer in relation to covering envelopes and other documents.
12.—(1) The special presiding officer shall, before the time fixed for the close of the poll at the election concerned, deliver to the returning officer every covering envelope referred to in section 11 (7) of this Act.
(2) On the completion of voting by special voters, each special presiding officer shall seal up, in separate packets—
(a) the unused ballot papers and any spoilt ballot papers, placed together;
(b) the counterfoils of the ballot papers;
(c) the marked copy of the special voters list;
(d) a ballot paper account in the prescribed form completed by him;
(e) the marking instrument, any unused stationery and any other documents or materials in his possession which relate to voting by special voters at the election;
and he shall deliver all such packets to the returning officer.
Duties of returning officer in relation to votes by special voters.
13.—(1) The returning officer shall deal with the packets delivered to him by a special presiding officer pursuant to section 12 of this Act in the same manner as he would deal, in accordance with the provisions of the Acts, with other packets containing similar documents and materials relating to an election.
(2) The returning officer shall place the covering envelopes returned to him by a special presiding officer pursuant to section 12 of this Act in the postal voters ballot box and the covering envelopes and the documents contained therein shall thereafter be treated as if they were envelopes and documents returned to the returning officer by postal voters.
(3) In the application of the provisions of the Acts relating to postal voters to special voters—
(a) a reference to “receipt” shall, in relation to documents appropriate to special voters, be construed as a reference to “declaration of identity”, and
(b) a reference to “receipt duly signed”, in relation to such documents, shall be construed as a reference to “declaration of identity duly signed and witnessed”, and
(c) if the covering envelope does not have the label referred to in section 11 of this Act attached thereto or if such label is not duly signed by the special presiding officer and the member of the Garda Síochána, the returning officer shall reject the covering envelope and deal with it as if it were a receipt which had not been duly signed.
Authorisation to vote at other polling station.
14.—Where, not less than 7 days before polling day, an elector, whose name is not on the postal voters list or the special voters list, satisfies the returning officer that he is unable, by reason of physical illness or physical disability suffered by him, to vote at the polling station at which he would otherwise be entitled to vote, the returning officer may, if he is of opinion that it would be more convenient for the elector because of his physical illness or physical disability to vote at another polling station situate—
(a) in the case of a European Assembly election, in the same county or county borough, or
(b) in the case of a local election, in the same local electoral area, or
(c) in any other case, in the same constituency,
in writing authorise the elector to vote at such polling station as may be specified in the authorisation instead of the polling station at which the elector would otherwise be entitled to vote.
Certain persons deemed to be resident in the State.
15.—(1) In this section—
“appropriate registration authority” means the registration authority for the area in which the premises referred to in subsection (3) (a) of this section are situate;
“civil servant” and “civil service” have the same meanings, respectively, as in the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956;
“qualified person” means a citizen of Ireland who has reached the age of 18 years and is a civil servant and is a member of a mission and who, for the time being, because of the requirements of his duties, is serving outside the State;
“member of a mission” means a person—
(a) falling within the definition of “members of the mission” contained in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations done at Vienna on the eighteenth day of April, 1961, as set out in the First Schedule to the Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act, 1967, or
(b) falling within the definition of “members of the consular post” contained in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations done at Vienna on the twenty-fourth day of April, 1963, as set out in the Second Schedule to the said Act, or
(c) who is a member of a Permanent Mission of Ireland to an international organisation;
“spouse” means a person who is the spouse of a qualified person and is a citizen of Ireland and has reached the age of 18 years and is residing with the qualified person outside the State.
(2) A person, who satisfies the appropriate registration authority that he is a qualified person, and the spouse of such person shall, for the purposes of Part II of the Act of 1963, section 3 of the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977, and section 5 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1985, be deemed to be ordinarily resident on the qualifying date in the premises in the State in which, but for the requirements of his duties, the qualified person would be resident.
(3) A qualified person may, not later than the prescribed date, send to the appropriate registration authority a statement in the prescribed form providing the following information—
(a) the address of the premises in the State in which, but for the requirements of his duties, he would be resident on the qualifying date; and
(b) particulars of his spouse (if any).
(4) Every statement by a person pursuant to subsection (3) of this
section shall be accompanied by a certificate in the prescribed form from the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs certifying that such person is a qualified person.
(5) A statement by a qualified person as to the premises in the State in which he would be resident on the qualifying date shall, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, be accepted as a correct statement, and he and his spouse (if any) shall be registered as an elector in respect of those premises.
(6) The appropriate registration authority shall enter in the postal voters list the name of each person who is deemed by virtue of this section to be ordinarily resident in the State on the qualifying date.
(7) A person who submits a statement to a registration authority pursuant to subsection (3) of this section shall supply to the appropriate registration authority any information which such registration authority may require for the purposes of this section and the provisions of section 7 (3) (as amended by this Act) of the Act of 1963 shall apply to a requirement by a registration authority under this section.
Voting by electors referred to in section 15 of this Act.
16.—(1) The provisions of the Acts in relation to postal voting shall apply to the issue of ballot papers to, and the return of such ballot papers by, electors whose names are entered in the postal voters list pursuant to section 15 of this Act subject to the following modifications—
(a) an elector whose name is so entered in the postal voters list, in order to cast his vote, shall, in the presence of an authorised person and no other person, do the following things in the following order—
(i) produce to the authorised person a ballot paper (in relation to which the authorised person shall satisfy himself that it is unmarked) and a form of declaration of identity in the prescribed form;
(ii) complete and sign the said declaration of identity;
(iii) hand the declaration of identity to the authorised person who shall, if he is satisfied as to the identity of the person who has signed the declaration of identity, witness the signature;
(iv) mark, in secret, his ballot paper;
(v) place the marked ballot paper in the ballot paper envelope and effectually seal such envelope;
(vi) place the ballot paper envelope and the completed declaration of identity in the covering envelope and effectually seal that envelope.
(b) a reference to “receipt”, in relation to documents appropriate to such electors, shall be construed as a reference to “declaration of identity”, and
(c) a reference to “receipt duly signed”, in relation to such documents, shall be construed as a reference to “declaration of identity duly signed and witnessed”.
(2) In this section—
“authorised person” means a person appointed by the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs to be an authorised person for the purposes of this section;
“ballot paper envelope” and “covering envelope” have the meanings specified in the Fourth Schedule (as substituted by this Act) of the Act of 1923.
Amendment of Part I of Fifth Schedule to Act of 1923.
17.—Rule 9 (substituted by the Act of 1963) of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the Act of 1923 is hereby amended by—
(a) the insertion after paragraph (1) of the following paragraph:
“(1A) The returning officer shall object to the name of a candidate in a nomination paper if such name—
(a) is not the name by which the candidate is commonly known; or
(b) is misleading and likely to cause confusion; or
(c) is unnecessarily long; or
(d) contains a political reference;
and where a returning officer so objects, he shall allow the candidate or his proposer, as may be appropriate, to amend the name and, if it is not so amended to the returning officer's satisfaction, the returning officer may amend it, as he thinks fit, after consultation with the candidate or his proposer, if either is present, or may rule that the nomination paper is invalid as not being properly made out.”,
and
(b) the insertion in paragraph (2) after “unnecessarily long” of “or which contains a political reference other than, where appropriate, a reference to a public or elected office held, or formerly held, by the candidate” and the said paragraph, as so amended, is set out in the Table to this paragraph.
TABLE
(2) The returning officer shall object to the description of a candidate in a nomination paper which is, in his opinion, incorrect, insufficient to identify the candidate or unnecessarily long or which contains a political reference other than, where appropriate, a reference to a public or elected office held, or formerly held, by the candidate; where a returning officer so objects, he shall allow the candidate or his proposer, as may be appropriate, to amend the description and, if it is not so amended to the returning officer's satisfaction, the returning officer may amend or delete it, as he thinks fit, after consultation with the candidate or his proposer, if either is present, or may rule that the nomination paper is invalid as not being properly made out.
Amendment of First Schedule to European Assembly Elections Act, 1977.
18.—Rule 10 of the First Schedule to the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977 is hereby amended by—
(a) the insertion after paragraph (1) of the following paragraph:
“(1A) The returning officer shall object to the name of a candidate in a nomination paper if such name—
(a) is not the name by which the candidate is commonly known; or
(b) is misleading and likely to cause confusion; or
(c) is unnecessarily long; or
(d) contains a political reference;
and where a returning officer so objects, he shall allow the candidate or his proposer, as may be appropriate, to amend the name and, if it is not so amended to the returning officer's satisfaction, the returning officer may amend it, as he thinks fit, after consultation with the candidate or his proposer, if either is present, or may rule that the nomination paper is invalid as not being properly made out.”,
and
(b) the insertion in paragraph (3) after “unnecessarily long” of “or which contains a political reference other than, where appropriate, a reference to a public or elected office held, or formerly held, by the candidate” and the said paragraph, as so amended, is set out in the Table to this paragraph.
TABLE
(3) The returning officer shall object to the description of a candidate in a nomination paper which is, in his opinion, incorrect, insufficient to identify the candidate or unnecessarily long or which contains a political reference other than, where appropriate, a reference to a public or elected office held, or formerly held, by the candidate. Where a returning officer so objects, he shall allow the candidate or his proposer, as may be appropriate, to amend the description and, if it is not so amended to the returning officer's satisfaction, the returning officer may amend or delete it, as he thinks fit, after consultation with the candidate or his proposer, if either is present, or may rule that the nomination paper is invalid as not being properly made out.
Amendment of Local Elections Regulations, 1965.
19.—Article 22 of the Local Elections Regulations, 1965 (S.I. No. 128 of 1965), is hereby amended by—
(a) the insertion after paragraph (1) of the following paragraph:
“(1A) The returning officer shall object to the name of a candidate in a nomination paper if such name—
(a) is not the name by which the candidate is commonly known; or
(b) is misleading and likely to cause confusion; or
(c) is unnecessarily long; or
(d) contains a political reference;
and where a returning officer so objects, he shall allow the candidate or his proposer, as may be appropriate, to amend the name and, if it is not so amended to the returning officer's satisfaction, the returning officer may amend it, as he thinks fit, after consultation with the candidate or his proposer, if either is present, or may rule that the nomination paper is invalid as not being properly made out.”,
and
(b) the insertion in paragraph (2) after “unnecessarily long” of “or which contains a political reference other than, where appropriate, a reference to a public or elected office held, or formerly held, by the candidate” and the said paragraph, as so amended, is set out in the Table to this paragraph.
TABLE
(2) The returning officer shall object to the description of a candidate in a nomination paper which is, in his opinion, incorrect, insufficient to identify the candidate or unnecessarily long or which contains a political reference other than, where appropriate, a reference to a public or elected office held or formerly held, by the candidate. Where a returning officer so objects, he shall allow the candidate or his proposer, as may be appropriate, to amend the description and, if it is not so amended to the returning officer's satisfaction, the returning officer may amend or delete it, as he thinks fit, after consultation with the candidate or his proposer, if either is present, or may rule that the nomination paper is invalid as not being properly made out.
Modification of Act of 1963 and European Assembly Elections Act, 1977.
20.—(1) Sections 26 (which relates to the right to vote at a Dáil election), 51 (which relates to the right to vote at a presidential election), 70 (which relates to the right to vote at a referendum), and 85 (which relates to the right to vote at a local election) of the Act of 1963, and Rule 47 (which relates to the right to vote at an Assembly election) of the First Schedule to the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977, shall be construed and have effect subject to the following modification, that is to say, the returning officer or the presiding officer may and, if so required on behalf of any candidate or personation agent present in the polling station at an election, shall, request any person at the time of his applying for a ballot paper, but not afterwards, to produce a specified document and, if the person fails to produce such a document, or if the returning officer or the presiding officer is not satisfied that the person is the person to whom the document relates, such person shall not be permitted to vote.
(2) For the purposes of the modification of the Act of 1963 and of the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977, effected by subsection (1) of this section, “specified document” means such document as may be prescribed.
Postal voting rules.
21.—The Act of 1923 is hereby amended by the substitution for the Fourth Schedule (as amended by the Electoral Act, 1960, the Act of 1963, the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1972, and the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983) thereto of the matter set out in the Schedule to this Act.
Amendment of section 7 of Act of 1963.
22.—Section 7 of the Act of 1963 is hereby amended by the substitution in subsection (3) for “twenty pounds” of “five hundred pounds” and the said subsection, as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.
TABLE
(3) If any person, having been duly required pursuant to regulations under this section to give any information in his possession which the registration authority or county registrar may require for the purposes of their duties, fails to give the information or gives false information, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred pounds.
Amendment of section 1 of European Assembly Elections Act, 1977.
23.—Section 1 of the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977, is hereby amended by the substitution for the definition of “the postal voters list” of the following definition:
‘“the postal voters list’ means the list prepared pursuant to section 7 (4) of the Act of 1963 as extended by section 15 of the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1986;”.
Offences and penalties.
24.—(1) Any person who—
(a) in relation to an application pursuant to section 3 of this Act, or to a statement pursuant to section 15 of this Act, knowingly gives any information which is false or misleading, or
(b) applies in the name of another person to be entered in the special voters list, or
(c) makes a statement pursuant to section 15 of this Act in the name of another person,
shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) Any person who—
(a) wilfully and without lawful authority takes, destroys, conceals, opens or otherwise interferes with any ballot paper or other document sent to a postal voter under Rule 3 of the Fourth Schedule to the Act of 1923 (as substituted by this Act), or Rule 26 (3) of the First Schedule to the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977, or Article 33 of the Local Elections Regulations, 1965 (S.I. No. 128 of 1965), or
(b) without lawful authority knowingly supplies any such ballot paper or other document to a person other than the person lawfully entitled to receive it,
shall be guilty of an offence.
(3) A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission of an offence under this Act or who solicits or incites any other person to commit such an offence shall be guilty of an offence.
(4) A person guilty of an offence under this Act shall be liable—
(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £800, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or, at the discretion of the court, to both such fine and such imprisonment, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine not exceeding £2,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or, at the discretion of the court, to both such fine and such imprisonment.
Regulations.
25.—(1) The Minister may make Regulations for prescribing any matter or thing referred to in this Act as prescribed or to be prescribed.
(2) Every Regulation made under this Act shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the Regulation is passed by either such House within the next twenty-one days on which that House has sat after the Regulation is laid before it, the Regulation shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder.
Expenses.
26.—(1) The provisions of section 7 (9) of the Act of 1963 shall apply to the expenses incurred by a registration authority in preparing, pursuant to this Act, the special voters list.
(2) The services rendered and expenses incurred by a returning officer in complying with the provisions of this Act shall be services rendered or expenses incurred by such returning officer for the purposes of an election.
Revocation.
27.—(1) The Local Elections (Postal Voting) Regulations, 1974 (S.I. No. 118 of 1974), and the Local Elections (Postal Voting) (Amendment) Regulations, 1985 (S.I No. 68 of 1985), are hereby revoked.
(2) The Local Elections Regulations, 1965 (S.I. No. 128 of 1965), shall be construed and have effect as if the Regulations revoked by subsection (1) of this section had not been made.
Short title, collective citation and construction.
28.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1986.
(2) The collective citation “the Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1986” shall include this Act.
(3) The collective citation “the European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1986” shall include this Act in so far as this Act relates to European Assembly elections.
(4) This Act, in so far as it relates to presidential elections, and the Presidential Elections Acts, 1937 to 1985, may be cited together as the Presidential Elections Acts, 1937 to 1986.
(5) The collective citation “the Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1986” shall include this Act in so far as this Act relates to referenda.
(6) This Act, in so far as it relates to local elections, and the Local Elections Acts, 1963 to 1974, may be cited together as the Local Elections Acts, 1963 to 1986.
(7) The Electoral Acts, 1923 to 1986, shall be construed together as one Act.
(8) The European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1986, shall be construed together as one Act.
(9) The Presidential Elections Acts, 1937 to 1986, shall be construed together as one Act.
(10) The Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1986, shall be construed together as one Act.
SCHEDULE
“Fourth Schedule
Postal Voting Rules
Form of ballot Paper and receipt.
1. (1) The ballot paper to be sent to postal voters shall be in the same form as, and indistinguishable from, the ballot papers delivered to other electors.
(2) The receipt sent with the ballot paper to postal voters shall be in the prescribed form and shall have printed thereon the prescribed instructions to the voter.
Presence of agents.
2. The returning officer, his assistants and clerks, members of the Garda Síochána on duty, the election agent of each candidate or some person, appointed by such election agent, and no other person except with the permission of the returning officer, may be present at the proceedings on the issue of ballot papers, and on the opening of the postal voters ballot boxes and the envelopes contained therein.
Issue of ballot papers.
3. (1) The returning officer shall, not later than the day after the last day for receiving nominations of candidates at an election, give the election agent of each candidate notice of the time and place at which he will issue the ballot papers, and of the number of persons each agent may appoint to attend the said issue and, where any subsequent issue of ballot papers is made, the returning officer shall give the election agent of each candidate, as soon as practicable, notice of the time and place at which he will make such subsequent issue and of the number of persons each agent may appoint to attend such issue.
(2) Each ballot paper issued shall be marked with an official mark which shall be embossed or perforated so as to be visible on both sides of the paper, and the number (including polling district letter), name and description of the elector as stated in the postal voters list shall be called out, and a mark shall be placed in a copy of the postal voters list opposite to the number of the elector to denote that a ballot paper has been issued to the elector, but without showing the number of the ballot paper issued to him.
(3) The returning officer shall place in an envelope addressed to the postal voter—
(a) the ballot paper;
(b) the form of receipt;
(c) an envelope (in this Schedule referred to as a ‘covering envelope’) addressed to the returning officer;
(d) a smaller envelope marked ‘ballot paper envelope’;
and shall effectually close such first mentioned envelope.
(4) All envelopes addressed to the postal voters shall be counted and forthwith delivered by the returning officer to the nearest head post office, or such other office as may be arranged with the head postmaster, and the postmaster shall stamp with the date stamp of An Post a form of receipt to be presented by the returning officer stating the number of envelopes so delivered, and shall immediately forward such envelopes for delivery to the persons to whom they are addressed.
(5) Where an envelope containing a ballot paper and other documents referred to in this Rule is, before polling day, returned to the returning officer as not having been delivered to a postal voter, the returning officer may re-address the envelope and send it by post to that voter.
Provision of postal voters ballot boxes.
4. (1) The returning officer shall provide a ballot box or ballot boxes for the reception of the covering envelopes when returned by the postal voters.
(2) Every such ballot box shall, at the time of the issue of the postal ballot papers, be shown open and empty to the agents present, and
shall be sealed with the seal of the returning officer and the seals of such of the agents as desire to affix their seals, and shall be marked ‘postal voters ballot box’, and with the name of the constituency, and the returning officer shall make provision for the safe custody of such ballot box.
Envelopes to be placed in postal voters ballot boxes.
5. The returning officer shall, immediately on receipt of covering envelopes, place them unopened in a postal voters ballot box.
Envelopes to be treated as covering envelopes.
6. If the returning officer receives, before the close of the poll, an envelope other than a covering envelope and finds therein any document which it would have been appropriate to send to him in a covering envelope, he shall—
(a) securely close the envelope;
(b) endorse thereon, and sign, a statement that the envelope has been closed by him with the contents intact;
(c) place the closed envelope in a postal voters ballot box;
(d) thereafter treat the envelope as a covering envelope;
and any reference in this Schedule to a covering envelope shall be construed as including a reference to an envelope which has been dealt with by the returning officer in accordance with this Rule.
Procedure at close of poll.
7. At the hour fixed for the closing of the poll the returning officer shall either—
(a) seal each postal voters ballot box so that no further papers can be inserted therein, or
(b) forthwith open each such box and extract and deal with the contents thereof in accordance with Rule 8 of this Schedule.
Opening of postal voters ballot boxes.
8. (1) The postal voters ballot boxes shall be opened by the returning officer, in the presence of the agents, before the time fixed for the counting of the votes.
(2) The returning officer shall give the election agent of each candidate at least twenty-four hours' notice in writing of the time and place at which he will proceed to open the postal voters ballot boxes, and the envelopes contained therein, and of the number of persons such agent may appoint to be present at the opening. The returning officer shall give the said agents reasonable facilities for overseeing the proceedings at the opening of the boxes and all information with respect thereto which he can give them consistent with the orderly conduct of the proceedings and the performance of his functions.
(3) When a postal voters ballot box has been opened, the returning officer shall extract the covering envelopes therefrom and count and note the number of envelopes so extracted, and shall then open each covering envelope separately and examine the receipt.
(4) If the receipt is found to be duly signed, he shall place the receipt and the ballot paper envelope in separate receptacles or, if the ballot paper is not contained in a ballot paper envelope, he shall place the receipt in the appropriate receptacle and shall place the ballot paper, without unfolding it, if possible, in a ballot box in accordance with Rule 10 of this Schedule.
(5) If he is not satisfied that the receipt has been duly signed, he shall endorse the receipt ‘rejected’, and shall attach thereto the ballot paper envelope, without opening such envelope, or if there is no such envelope, the ballot paper.
(6) Where a receipt does not appear to accompany the ballot paper envelope, the returning officer shall open the envelope, and if it is found to contain the receipt, he shall deal with such receipt and ballot paper in accordance with the Rules in this Schedule.
(7) Any receipt not accompanied by a ballot paper, and any ballot paper not accompanied by a receipt, shall be marked ‘rejected’.
(8) Where a ballot paper and receipt are received together, the ballot paper shall not be rejected solely on the ground that the ballot paper and receipt were, or either of them was, not placed in the proper envelopes or envelope or that any such envelope was not closed.
Rejected receipts.
9. (1) The returning officer shall on a request being made by the agent of a candidate show to the agent any receipt which he is rejecting on the ground that it has not been duly signed.
(2) The returning officer shall keep all rejected receipts with the attached envelopes or ballot papers, as the case may be, separate from all other documents.
Ballot papers to be placed in ballot boxes.
10. When the covering envelopes in any postal voters ballot box have been opened and their contents dealt with under the two preceding Rules, the returning officer shall open each unopened ballot paper envelope (other than the ballot paper envelopes referred to in Rule 8 (5) of this Schedule) and place the ballot paper, without unfolding it, if possible, in a ballot box previously shown and sealed in the manner provided in Rule 4 of this Schedule which shall be subsequently treated as a ballot box for the purposes of Rule 32 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to this Act (as substituted by section 41 of the Electoral Act, 1963).
Duties of returning officer.
11. (1) The returning officer, as soon as may be practicable after the completion of the issue of the ballot papers and in the presence of the agents of the candidates, shall make up in separate packets, sealed with his own seal and sealed by such of the agents as desire to affix their seals, the marked copy of the postal voters list and the counterfoils of the ballot papers: provided that where any subsequent issue of ballot papers is made, the sealed packet containing the marked copy of the postal voters list may be opened by the returning officer for the purposes of that issue, and on completion of that issue, the list and the counterfoils of the ballot papers at that issue shall be made up and sealed in accordance with this Rule.
(2) As soon as the returning officer has completed the placing of the ballot papers in the ballot box mentioned in Rule 10 of this Schedule, he shall seal up in separate packets—
(a) the receipts which accompanied any ballot papers duly accepted;
(b) any rejected receipts, with envelopes (if any) attached; and
(c) any rejected ballot papers with envelopes (if any) attached.
(3) Where covering envelopes are received by the returning officer after the close of the poll, or where any envelopes addressed to postal voters are returned as undelivered, the returning officer shall not open such envelopes and shall, subject to his power of readdressing such envelopes pursuant to Rule 3 (5) of this Schedule, seal such envelopes up into separate packets.
(4) The returning officer shall endorse on each packet mentioned in paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) of this Rule a description of its contents, and the name of the constituency and the date of the election to which such contents relate.
(5) The returning officer shall forward to the Clerk of the Dáil at the same time as he forwards the documents mentioned in Rule 36 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to this Act—
(a) any packets referred to in the foregoing provisions of this Rule, and
(b) a statement in such form as may be directed by the Minister for the Environment showing the number of ballot papers sent to postal voters, and giving with respect to such papers the particulars required by the form.
(6) Any envelopes returned as undelivered and any covering envelopes received by the returning officer after the said packets have been forwarded to the Clerk of the Dáil shall be retained unopened and shall be forwarded subsequently.
Disposal of documents.
12. Rules 7 (as amended by section 42 of the Electoral Act, 1963), 38, 39 (as amended by section 1 (h) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1972), 40 and 41 (as amended by section 1 (i) of the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1972) of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to this Act shall apply to the documents sent by the returning officer to the Clerk of the Dáil under the preceding Rule in this Schedule in the same manner as these Rules apply to documents of a like nature mentioned therein.
Application of Rules in Fifth Schedule.
13. Rules 47 and 53 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to this Act shall apply to the matters dealt with in this Schedule as if those Rules were set out in this Schedule, and Rules 49 and 51 of that Part of that Schedule shall apply to every agent within the meaning of this Schedule in the same manner as those Rules apply to agents within the meaning of that Schedule.
Definition of agent.
14. In this Schedule ‘agent’ includes the election agent of a candidate and any person appointed by such agent to be present at the issue or opening of postal voters ballot papers.”.