McDowell condemns Minister for his failure to change the rules for voter’s registration to extend the entitlement to vote to homeless people
Issued : Wednesday 7 January, 2009
Press Statement from Brian McDowell, Labour Local Election Candidate for Donaghmede/Raheny
Labour local election candidate for the Donaghmede Electoral Area has condemned Green Leader and Minister for the Environment and Local Government for his failure to change the law surrounding the entitlement to vote and in particular the need to extend the right to vote to homeless people.
According to Mr McDowell this law is archaic and needs to be changed.
"In the last number of years voting entitlement has been extended to permit postal voting for people who are incarcerated in prisons around the country. I asked the Minister to extend the franchise to the unfortunate people who find themselves homeless and living on the streets" stated Mr McDowell. The repose received from the Minister is disappointing as he states that he has "no proposals to amend the law in this area"
According to Mr McDowell the present position requires you have to provide a permanent address to the franchise section in Dublin City Council to have your name put on the voters register.
"I am asking for homeless people who have proof of identity to use civic offices or some other state facility as their permanent address. Once they present themselves and have proof of identity they should be allowed on the supplementary list that is created before every election" stated Mr McDowell
"It is a disgraceful position to adopt that due to circumstances that may be beyond a persons control that those who are homeless are disenfranchised stated Mr McDowell. The Minister states that it is a matter for each local authority to determine a person's ordinary address for registration purposes. I will be asking Dublin City Council, in the first instance to ensure that the franchise is extended to homeless people and that a satisfactory conclusion is brought to this matter"
There is a local election next year and it would be terrible to think that people through no fault of their own will be disenfranchised once again
END
Contact - Brian McDowell
Ph: 0879161225
Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if citizens who are homeless are entitled to be registered as electors: if an address at civic offices can be provided as an accommodation address for this purpose; if not the way the constitutional entitlements of homeless citizens in relation to the franchise are vindicated; if he has proposals to amend the law in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter?
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
In law, the preparation of the register of electors, including the determination of a person's ordinary residence for registration purposes is a matter for each local registration authority. I have no proposals to amend the law in this area
Cllr 
