Mayo councillor unhappy with fee charged for election medical form

DOCTORS charging a fee to stamp a form for people applying under medical grounds for a special vote in upcoming elections has drawn the ire of a Mayo councillor.

Where people are maybe in nursing homes or are incapacitated, the necessary form has to be stamped by a doctor, Councillor Martin McLoughlin stated, with a €10 charge.

He declared it 'undemocratic' that people were charged to vote.

A colleague wondered where he was going with his €10, it being €35 in their area.

Councillor McLoughlin also said people are asking about voting where they have holidays booked and are away on polling day.

They cannot be here and are being denied their vote, he said.

Director of services John Condon said they had no control over whether doctors charge or not for a service, but you do need a medical cert to apply for a special vote.

For people away on holidays, there is no provision for them to get a postal vote.

Unless the law on that is changed at national level, there is nothing they can do.

Polling day for the local and European Parliament elections is June 7.

The period for receipt of nomination papers is from 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, to 12 noon on Saturday, May 18.

Closing date for postal and special voter applications is Saturday, May 11, and for the Register of Electors it is Monday, May 20.