Dick Spring
Question:17 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to enable Irish emigrants to vote in general, Presidential and European elections.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Voting by Emigrants.
There are no proposals at present for a general extension of voting rights to Irish emigrants. However, it is intended that the feasibility of extending voting rights to recent emigrants will be examined.
While I would welcome an extension of the vote to emigrants, would the Minister bear in mind that there are some difficulties which ought to be seriously looked at, particularly if there is to be any question of a postal vote? If that is to be considered, let the Minister consider the example in another part of this island where postal votes have been seriously abused particularly, but not exclusively, by parliamentary organisations whose interest is certainly not in democracy. While I welcome an extension, it would be in the interest of emigrants as well as democracy generally that this matter be carefully considered.
The Deputy has raised the problems that exist in regard to this proposal. It is only to be examined. There are questions about the numbers of people involved, the constitutional implications and areas that the Deputy properly referred to.