Electoral Act, 1992

Amendment of Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983.

173.—The Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983 is hereby amended by—

(a) the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (g) of subsection (3) of section 63:

“(h) the sending, conveyance and delivery otherwise than by post of any document, following consultation with the Minister for the Environment, by a returning officer at a Dáil, European or local election, in the performance of his functions under the Electoral Act, 1992, the European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1992, and the Local Elections Acts, 1963 to 1992, and by a local returning officer at a presidential election, a European election or a referendum in the performance of his functions under the Presidential Elections Acts, 1937 to 1992, the European Assembly Elections Acts, 1977 to 1992 or the Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1992 where the returning officer or local returning officer, as the case may be, is of the opinion that An Post is not in a position to provide the required services.”; and

(b) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (4) of the said section 63:

“(4) Nothing in paragraphs (b) to (h) of subsection (3) shall be taken as authorising any person to make a collection of postal packets for the purpose of their being sent, conveyed or delivered in accordance with that subsection.”; and

(c) the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (1) of section 74:

“(1) the company may, with the consent of the Minister, after consultation with the Minister for the Environment and, where appropriate, the Minister for Defence, make schemes for regulating the conditions under which free postage is to be provided under—

(a) section 57 of the Electoral Act, 1992,

(b) section 25 of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act, 1937 (substituted by section 166 of the Electoral Act, 1992),

(c) section 34 of the Presidential Elections Act, 1937 , as amended by section 167 of the Electoral Act, 1992,

(d) Rule 18 of Part I of the First Schedule to the European Assembly Elections Act, 1977 as amended by section 172 of the Electoral Act, 1992.”.