The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr Cullen, announced yesterday that he has made the necessary legal order under the Presidential Elections Acts 1993 appointing the following days and times in relation to the Presidential Election:
Last day for receipt of nominations: Friday 1st October, 2004.
Day on which the poll shall be taken: Friday 22nd October 2004.
Hours of poll: 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
Presidential Returning Officer: Mr Maurice Coughlan, a principal officer of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
Returning Officer's address: Presidential Returning Officer, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Custom House, Dublin 1.
Electorate: Every person who is an Irish citizen and is included in the register of electors for a constituency is entitled to vote at the election. The total electorate currently stands at 3,041,688.
Registering to vote: People still have time to apply to their City or County Council for entry in the supplement to the register. To be eligible, a person must be a citizen of Ireland, must be 18 years of age by polling day, and must be ordinarily resident in the State. An application for entry on the supplement must be witnessed by a member of the Garda Siochana or, if the person cannot attend their local Garda Station, by an official of their City or County Council provided they state the reason why they were unable to attend a Garda station.
If, because of a physical illness or disability, a person cannot attend either their local Garda Station or their City or County Council, their application form can be accompanied by a medical certificate. The final date for the receipt of completed supplement application forms is 5th October 2004. Applications for entry to the supplement to the postal and special voters list must be received by 15th September 2004.