Ms Lynn Boylan:

Sinn Féin recognises that we have a problem in terms of disenfranchising people, and its policy is open to discussing the mechanics of dealing with it. Citizenship cannot be exclusive but must be based on equality. Sinn Féin’s policy is that a European citizen resident in Ireland for five years should be afforded the right to vote in national elections. One would need a compelling argument as to why it cannot be extended to Dáil elections if it is extended to presidential and Seanad elections.

There are many ways around the issue of those in the diaspora overruling the people living in Ireland. Many other countries have figured out the mechanics of this. Sinn Féin proposes that the diaspora vote would go to a reserved constituency, which would prevent such swamping.

Under Article 2, people in the North have the right to belong to the Irish nation. They are slightly different, however, so it is not just a case of broadening it out to citizens of EU member states. That is why we would treat them separately. At the moment, they are treated differently from Northern Unionists who vote for the British Parliament.