Gay Mitchell
Ceist:49 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if he proposes to change the regulations to allow all EC citizens voting rights in line with the Maastricht proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - EU Citizens' Voting Rights.
The Treaty on European Union (the Maastricht Treaty) provides that citizens of the Union shall be entitled to vote and stand as candidates at European Parliament and local elections in their member state of residence under the same conditions as nationals of that state.
Resident citizens of the Union already have the right to vote at European elections here and the European Parliament Elections Bill, 1993, which has been passed by the Dáil, will enable them to stand as candidates at such elections.
In the case of local elections, resident citizens of the Union are already entitled to vote and stand at such elections on the same conditions as citizens of Ireland.