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"Mission Impossible" to register
late vote
04.05.07
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The Labour Party
candidate Siobhan McLaughlin has called on the
Minister for the Environment to urgently facilitate
voters wishing to be included on the Supplementary
Register.
He should do this, she said, by extending the time
for applications for the supplement.
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"As the deadline for
applications falls immediately after the Bank
Holiday weekend, the time for applying for the
supplement is exceptionally short for this election.
Since local authority offices will not be open at
the weekend, any application must be posted by
Wednesday or Thursday of this week or handed in by
Friday in order to be sure of being |
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included.
"An application which is posted this week but not
delivered until Tuesday
morning will be invalid," she said.
Buncrana-born Ms. McLaughlin said the Garda station
opening hours also made it "increasingly difficult"
for people to have the necessary documentation
completed.
"There are 40 Garda Stations which are open from
10am -1pm daily
and five Garda Stations that are open on a 24-hour
basis.
"With opening hours like this it's "mission
impossible" to get on the Supplementary Register.
"The Minister can implement a number of measures to
resolve this problem by making a special order to
extend the time for receipt of applications and to
oblige Garda Stations to extend opening hours to
facilitate verification of application forms.
"This would provide a meaningful opportunity for
citizens who have been omitted from the register to
rectify the position.
"The difficulty with the timing of the closing date
for the supplement comes on top of severe problems
with the register of electors which the Labour Party
has been warning about for some time.
"I'm calling on Minister Dick Roche to make a
Special Difficulty Order to resolve this problem
without delay." |
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