Vol. 404 No. 7
31 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the distress caused to many British citizens who voted here in the last general election, on finding that they were not entitled to vote in the Presidential Election; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
41 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for the Environment if he will update the legislation for the election of the President of Ireland into line with the comparative legislation for other elections; in particular, to enable non-citizens residing ordinarily in this country and emigrants of Irish citizenship to vote in future elections; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
153 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the proposals to give Irish citizens living abroad the opportunity to vote in Irish elections; and if he intends to introduce such proposals to Dáil Éireann before the end of 1991.
I propose to take Question Nos. 31, 41 and 153 together.
An amendment to the Constitution would be necessary to provide for the extension of the right to vote at Presidential elections to citizens of countries other than Ireland. There are no proposals to bring forward such an amendment.
The feasibility of extending voting rights to recent emigrants is under examination.
