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Voting Rights.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 June 2004

Wednesday, 2 June 2004

Questions (25, 26, 27)

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

20 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if it is intended to extend the right to vote to prisoners serving sentences in view of the recent ruling of the European Court of Human Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16519/04]

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Joe Costello

Question:

29 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he intends to take arising from the recent decision of the European Court of Human Rights that prisoners should not automatically lose the right to vote; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12660/04]

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Ciarán Cuffe

Question:

49 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he intends taking to introduce voting rights to those in custody as part of his obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12730/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 29 and 49 together.

A person in legal custody may be registered as an elector and such persons are deemed to be ordinarily resident in the place where they would have been residing but for their detention. While there are no arrangements in place to allow persons in custody who are on the electoral register to exercise their franchise, a prisoner on temporary release may do so. The implications of the recent decision of the European Court of Human Rights for voting arrangements for prisoners are being considered by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Office of the Attorney General.

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