Vol. 480 No. 8
103 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government whether he will consider changes in the Constitution to permit British citizens to vote in referenda; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15217/97]
Article 47.3 of the Constitution provides that voting at a referendum shall be confined to those citizens of Ireland who are eligible to vote in Dáil elections. The position in relation to referenda is thus more restrictive than is the case in relation to Dáil elections, since Article 16.1.2º provides that Irish citizens and such other persons in the State as may be determined by law shall have the right to vote at Dáil elections. Arising from this provision, section 8 of the Electoral Act, 1992 extended the right to vote at Dáil elections to resident British citizens.
The question of whether an amendment to the Constitution in relation to this aspect of referenda would be desirable might best be considered, in the first instance, by the all-party committee on the Constitution which is being reestablished.
