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Galway Senator warns confusion abounds over vote for Seanad

A Galway Senator has warned that thousands of voters in the forthcoming Seanad election may be disenfranchised because of the Government’s failure to legislate in time for a new electoral panel.

Senator Rónán Mullen said that he has been inundated by voters, left baffled after they were told to register by January 23 – at the same as waiting for postal ballots for another election to arrive in the post.

The confusion is because a six-seat ‘Higher Education’ constituency will replace the two three-seat NUI and Trinity Panels after next April, so these are the last elections for separate panels.

While the deadline for ballots to be received in these panels is January 29, the deadline for registering for the new constituency is earlier – January 23.

“Confusion abounds,” said Senator Mullen. “This colossal bad timing is the fault of the Government and Minister Darragh O’Brien who left it to the last minute to legislate for the Supreme Court decision in the Heneghan case.”

That Heneghan decision requires the extension of the University franchise to graduates of other Higher Education institutions in the State. An election register for the new constituency must be in place by April to meet the terms of the Supreme Court decision.

But Senator Mullen objects to the fact that currently-registered voters are not being re-registered automatically. Instead, they have been sent a letter telling them to log on to www.seanadvoter.ie by January 23 in order to keep their vote.

“After that they will be put through the hoops by having to upload passport details, despite the fact that the law doesn’t require you to hold a passport,” he said.

“Many people will lose their right to vote because, as they cast their ballot this time, they think they are still participating and therefore remaining in the system.”

Senator Mullen also criticised the failure of the National University of Ireland, the designated Central Registration Authority for the new constituency, to send a paper registration form to currently-registered graduates.

The failure to provide a phone number to assist voters who may not be computer literate, particularly those in advanced years, adds insult to injury, he said.

“Some banks have been justly criticised over the years for foisting digital transactions on those who for whatever reason find information technology difficult to navigate,” he said.

“You don’t expect the same insensitivity from agents of the State responsible for organising an election to the Oireachtas.”

Senator Mullen is now calling on the National University of Ireland to run an advertising campaign to help people register for the new constituency.

“They should put up a phone line immediately to enable people to request a paper form without having to ask help from somebody with a computer,” he said.

“Is it that the people in charge want as few people as possible to register for what they may see as an expensive postal vote system?” he asked.

“In a democracy, it should be easier, not harder, for people to register to vote,” he concluded.

Pictured: Senator Rónán Mullen

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