The closure of hundreds of schools next week to facilitate voting in the general election is outdated and sends the wrong message about the importance of education, the National Parents’ Council has said.
Schools have closed twice this year to facilitate the referendum in March and the local and European elections in June.
The National Parents’ Council said the closures were causing needless disruption for working parents and called for alternatives to schools should be examined for polling stations.
“When schools were first used as polling stations many years ago, there probably weren’t many alternatives,” said Áine Lynch, the council’s chief executive.
“Now, there are lots of community centres and other venues that could be used. It goes back to the message we send to parents and children: every school day counts. If we close down schools for elections, it really doesn’t reinforce that message.”
Hundreds of primary and secondary schools are due to close on Friday, November 29th, to facilitate polling day. In the Dublin area alone, almost 100 out of just over 125 polling stations are located in schools. The remainder are mostly in community centres, GAA clubs or other buildings.
The Department of Local Government says that under the Electoral Act (1992) local returning officers are required to ensure there is a sufficient number of polling stations, “conveniently distributed for the accommodation of the electors entitled to vote there”.
Electoral law also provides that a returning officer may use a school, or any room in a school free of charge.
The department says guidance issued to returning officers advises “every step should be taken to ensure that schools are not closed unnecessarily and that disruption of school work should be kept to a minimum”, and that school halls should be used instead of classrooms.
Ms Lynch, however, said that despite these guidelines entire schools typically close due to child protection and safety issues of opening them up to the general public.
Guidance also advises returning officers that they may “hire a hall or other premises if they consider it to be appropriate”.
Ms Lynch said she would support a fresh review of alternatives to schools being used for polling centres.
“The costs would be minimal, yet the costs to parents who often have to take time out of work, are considerable,” she said.
Tanya Ward, chief executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance, also expressed support for alternatives to schools to be found for polling.
“Every school day is important and many children are getting vital services, such as breakfast clubs, through schools so they’re missing out on that,” she said.
“We should be trying to minimise the number of days that schools close and come up with more creative solutions for alternative polling stations. Yes, elections are important, but does it really have to involve school closures?”
However, the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon, said the use of schools was an “exciting opportunity for children to see democracy in action”.
“It opens up a discussion in schools around the concept of democracy and it can be a great opportunity to discuss the real issues facing children,” he said. “I know there is disruption, but to see democracy in action in your local school is fantastic.”
Fianna Fáil senator Malcolm Byrne, who recently raised the issue in the Seanad, said it was time for authorities to broaden the range of venues in order to minimise disruption to children’s education and families.
“There are other public buildings that could possibly be used such as libraries, local authority offices or Garda stations,” he said.
