Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 October 2014
302. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for a change in electoral law to allow persons resident in the State that are not citizens or United Kingdom citizens a right to vote in elections to Dáil Éireann; his views on such a change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38877/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSubject to age and residency requirements, a registered elector’s citizenship determines the polls at which he or she is entitled to vote. Irish citizens alone are entitled to vote at all elections and referendums. EU citizens may vote at European Parliament and local elections; non-EU citizens may vote at local elections. In addition, British citizens are also eligible to vote at Dáil elections. Under section 8 of the Electoral Act 1992, the Minister may by order provide for citizens of another EU Member State who are ordinarily resident in Ireland to be registered as Dáil electors on a reciprocal basis, where the Minister is satisfied that the Member State involved grants Irish citizens resident in that country the right to vote at parliamentary elections there on an equal basis with its own nationals. No such order has been made and I am not aware of any proposals to extend voting rights at parliamentary elections to Irish citizens resident in any other EU Member State. I have no proposals at present to change the existing arrangements.
