Cabinet to approve measures to help those with health issues to vote

Local government minister Darragh O'Brien is seeking approval to amend the Electoral Reform Bill.

The Cabinet is due to sign off on new measures to make it easier for people with mental health illnesses or disabilities to vote.

Local government minister Darragh O'Brien is seeking approval to amend the Electoral Reform Bill to ensure that there is parity of esteem when it comes to the health and mental health of those voting.

While there is currently no policy against a person in mental health facilities or hospitals voting, patients can find it impossible to vote as they are unable to get to a polling station and are not facilitated by way of a postal vote.

This amendment will extend the list of postal voters to persons with an illness or disability generally, without distinction between mental and physical illnesses or disabilities, and also ensure that people who are involuntarily detained in mental health facilities will have access to a postal vote should they so wish.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission will look at extending the postal voting system more generally when it is fully established later this year.

Cabinet is also due to support a private members motion calling for the inclusion of Traveller culture and history on the national curriculum.

The Traveller Culture and History in Education Bill has already passed all stages of the Seanad, and is due to be debated at second stage in the Dáil this week.

Separately, public expenditure and reform minister Michael McGrath is bringing forward proposals in relation to pension scheme changes and new severance schemes for those working in commercial semi-State bodies.

The memo is being brought as it has been over 10 years since these issues were comprehensively reviewed. 

The proposals will re-affirm that prior approval of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is required for severance scheme proposals; for amendments to pension schemes; and for changes to pension scheme benefits, such as pension increases.

It is intended that the new requirements will lead to improved oversight and management of pension scheme proposals and new severance schemes.

A spokesperson for Mr McGrath said: "Overall, it is in all our interests to improve governance procedures wherever we can, given the importance of protecting the State's shareholder interests in these companies."