10 Mar 2014, 15:59
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Union Affairs will tomorrow commence a series of hearings into the voting rights of citizens within the European Union.
10 March 2014
The head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland Barbara Nolan and Political Affairs Officer Eimear Ní Bhroin will outline to the Committee the findings of recent Commission guidance on the area. Earlier this year, the Commission criticised Ireland for not providing for voting rights for its citizens living in other Member States in national elections.
Chairman of the Committee Dominic Hannigan TD says: “With cheap airfares and advances in digital technology, Irish citizens living abroad are probably more connected with events at home than previous generations of emigrants. It is not surprising therefore that many are calling for voting rights in a range of elections. As a Committee, we are keen to explore the issue of voting rights for EU citizens living in other Member States over a series of meetings.
“The guidance by the EU Commission, issued in January, poses a number of important questions for Ireland’s electoral system. Along with Ireland, Denmark, Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom were also cited for disenfranchising voters who have exercised their right to free movement in the EU. Tomorrow’s meeting will provide European Commission representatives with the opportunity to outline the rationale for this guidance. In the coming weeks the Committee will hear from a cross section of opinion as it carefully considers how to progress this important issue for the many Irish communities based in other EU Member States.”
Separately, the Committee will hear from Vidmantas Purlys, Ambassador of Lithuania to Ireland, who will outline the planned introduction of the Euro to Lithuania in 2015.
Deputy Hannigan continues: “On 1 January 2015, Lithuania is scheduled to become the 19th member of the Eurozone. While membership for Lithuania is not a foregone conclusion, the likely joining of the Eurozone is an indication of the country’s on-going economic stability. It is also testament to the resilience of the Euro currency, which is emerging strongly from the economic crises of recent years. The Committee looks forward to exploring with Ambassador Purlys the remaining challenges for his country in preparing for accession to a new currency and the opportunities provided by membership from next year.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 11 March at 2 pm in Committee Room 1, LH 2000 and can be viewed online here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
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Committee Membership
Deputies: Eric Byrne, Seán Crowe, Timmy Dooley, Bernard J. Durkan, John Halligan, Dominic Hannigan (Chair), Seán Kyne, Dara Murphy (Vice-Chair) and Joe O’Reilly
Senators: Colm Burke, John Kelly, Terry Leyden, Catherine Noone and Kathryn Reilly