Monthly Archives: May 2018

If you are registered to vote in the upcoming referendum, a polling card should be sent to your home address before 25 May 2018.

Your polling card will state your elector number and the name of the polling station where you are to vote. It will also have a formal statement explaining what the referendum is about.

If you don’t receive a polling card by 25 May, you can still vote at your local polling station as long as you are registered to vote. You can check this on checktheregister.ie.

You should bring a valid form of personal identification, such as your passport, driving licence, student card with photo etc., when you go to vote. Your polling card is not accepted as a valid form of ID. There is a full list on referendum.ie.

You can read more in our document about voting in a referendum.

There is information about the upcoming referendum on refcom2018.ie.

Since 31 March 2018, EU law (pdf) provides that all new models of cars being sold must have eCall technology. eCall is a communications system that automatically contacts the emergency services following a road crash anywhere in the EU. Anyone in the car can also make an eCall manually.

When activated, eCall makes a voice call to the emergency number 112. It also transmits data about the incident, such as your exact location and vehicle type. This allows the emergency services to locate you quickly and, if necessary, send an ambulance to help.

Read more about eCall on the website of the European Commission.

The Tidy Towns competition is a yearly contest in which participating areas are rated on all aspects of their local environment. It is run by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

The application form (pdf) has detailed information about the different prizes on offer and how to apply. In addition to the main competition, there are special awards for different categories such as sustainable development and community climate action.

The deadline to apply for the 2018 competition is 23 May 2018.

Read more on tidytowns.ie.

During the summer, as people spend more time outdoors, the risk of tick bites increases. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) is urging people to protect themselves against Lyme disease, which is transmitted by infected biting ticks. Lyme disease can, in a small number of cases, cause severe debilitating heart and nervous system disease. However, it is rare in Ireland.

The HPSC suggests that you prevent tick bites by:

• Wearing long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt and shoes
• Using an insect repellent, preferably containing DEET
• Checking skin, hair and warm skin folds (especially the neck and scalp of children) for ticks, after a day out
• Removing any ticks and consulting with a GP if symptoms develop

Read more on hse.ie. 

The Referendum Commission has published an easy-to-read guide (pdf) to the referendum for people with an intellectual disability.

The guide explains the current law regulating the termination of pregnancy, the proposed change and the legal effect of a Yes vote or No vote.

Read more about facilities for voters with disabilities.

The Lighting Support Scheme provides grants to part-fund the installation of energy-efficient lighting products and lighting controls.

To qualify for the scheme, your business must have fewer than 250 employees and an annual turnover of €50 million or less.

There are more details about the scheme and how to apply on seai.ie. You can also email info@seai.ie or call 01 808 2100 for more information.

Applications for the current scheme close on 31 May 2018.

If you will find it difficult to access your local polling station on 25 May due to the situation or design of the building, you can apply to vote at a more accessible polling station in your constituency.
You apply by writing to the returning officer for your constituency. There is no special application form. If possible, you should suggest the alternative polling station where you would like to vote.
You can find contact details for the returning officer in your constituency on referendum.ie or by calling the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government on 01 888 2424 or 1890 20 20 21.
Your application must reach the returning officer by 18 May 2018.

Read more about facilities for voters with disabilities.

The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs is establishing a Collaborative Forum of former residents of Mother and Baby Homes and people with comparable experiences in County Homes. The Forum aims to support former residents to actively contribute to decisions on matters concerning them and their families.

The Charter for the Forum (pdf) sets out its general functions and provides a framework for its programme of work.

Former residents of Mother and Baby Homes and County Homes are invited to apply for membership of the Forum. The Forum is also open to family members of former residents and people providing related supports or advocacy services.

To apply, download and complete the application form (.doc). If you would like help to complete the application form, you can call (01) 6473200.

You can return your completed form by emailing it to CollaborativeForum@dcya.gov.ie or posting it to Department of Children and Youth Affairs, 43-49 Mespil Road, FREEPOST F5055, Dublin 4.

Read more about the Forum on dcya.ie or in the Department’s information note (pdf).

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) has launched a campaign to raise awareness of false self-employment. False self-employment is an employment relationship where it looks as if you are self-employed but you are actually an employee. If your employment is wrongly classed as self-employment, it affects your employment rights and the social welfare payments you are entitled to.

If you think you might be falsely self-employed, contact the Scope section of the DEASP on 01 673 2585 (9am-5pm) or email scope@welfare.ie. They will investigate the work relationship you have with the company and make a determination on your employment status.

Visit welfare.ie to get information on the criteria the Department uses to make a determination on your employment status or to find out more about the campaign. Information on false self-employment is available in English, Irish and 8 other languages (French, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Hindi and Mandarin).