Vol. 415 No. 4
8 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment the consideration which has been given to granting the right to vote and stand for elections, at least at local government level, to all legal immigrants, especially in view of developments in this regard to Britain and the Netherlands; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under existing electoral law, any person irrespective of nationality and citizenship who is ordinarily resident here and who satisfies the age requirement is entitled to be registered as a local government elector. Similarly, Irish nationality or citizenship is not required in order to stand for election at local government level.
Nationals of all EC member states resident here are entitled to be registered as European Parliament electors on the same basis as Irish citizens.
In the case of Dáil elections, British citizens of full age who are ordinarily resident here are entitled to be registered as Dáil electors. There is also provision for extending the Dáil vote to nationals of other EC member states on a reciprocal basis but circumstances in which this could be done do not exist at present.
