I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to entitle certain persons caring for others to be entered in the register of postal voters, for that purpose to amend the Electoral Act 1992, and to provide for related matters.

I am very happy to introduce the Electoral (Postal Voting) (Carers) Bill 2026 for family carers throughout this country. For too long, family carers have been made to feel invisible due to the lack of recognition of their extraordinary value in Irish society. The facts are very simple. There are over 620,000 of these family carers, saving the State €20 billion a year and providing 19 million unpaid hours each week. They are, in themselves, a second HSE, doing quite extraordinary work. They cannot engage in the democratic process like every other ordinary citizen because they work 24-7, 365 days a year, with no break.

This Bill is a small but necessary step to ensure that family carers feel that they can use their voice by voting. Quite often, the family carers I meet daily tell me they simply do not have time to get to the ballot box. They are disappointed because, while the person they care for has a postal vote, the carer does not. That simply does not make sense to them. There are number of major issues impacting family carers, like accessing vital supports for themselves and their loved ones, navigating the administrative nightmare of social welfare and juggling their caring role with work and other family commitments. They are under a huge amount of stress and getting to a ballot box is always going to be at the bottom of their list. The Government needs to recognise the huge amount of work that family carers do day in, day out and try to make their lives that bit easier by ensuring they have access to a postal vote. It will be a very small change that could help hundreds of thousands of carers feel like they have a voice and will be able use their vote for the first time in a very long time. That is true democracy.

Overall, many believe the Government has been very slow to extend postal voting to many citizens in this country and that is something that needs to be progressed. I understand that the Electoral Commission is undertaking research on this, but we really need to see changes in our voting system to ensure that everyone can take part on voting day. I know that during the general election, and more recently in the presidential election and by-elections, postal voting was discussed for a number of other situations, such as people being away on voting day. This is a very valid point and I hope that over the course of this Government we will see postal voting extended to all eligible citizens.

In countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and even the US, postal voting is available. In Europe there are examples in Luxembourg, the UK, Switzerland, Iceland, Poland, Greece and Germany. I believe that Ireland needs to follow these examples and ensure that postal voting is extended much wider. We are seeing lower turnouts in our elections and extending postal votes to a wider range of people would be one measure that could help us all address this issue.

I appreciate that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage may be waiting on the research to be received from the Electoral Commission on postal voting. However, I hope he will see the need here today and take the first step towards ensuring that at least family carers will have a right to a postal vote alongside the person they are caring for.

I hope the Minister will support this Bill to progress through the House. The Government must recognise the need not just for postal voting but to allow family carers the right to engage in politics by using a postal vote. It is a small but necessary change that will give family carers more of a voice.

Is the Bill being opposed?

No.

Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

That concludes our business for this morning. I thank all the Members, the staff, the press and everyone involved in the House for their co-operation during the term. I want to acknowledge the fact that we had Cara Darmody in the Public Gallery this morning. I omitted to mention that. I wish her well in the campaign and in her efforts.