Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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Thank you, Senator. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next petition for consideration is petition No. P00069/12 from Mr. Daire Queenan on allowing Irish people overseas to vote. The petitioner proposes that provision should be made in law for Irish citizens who are overseas temporarily to vote by post from their overseas address.

The recommendation is the same as for the last petition in that the committee forwarded the Department's response to the petitioner, informing him that the Minister has no proposals to extend the categories of persons entitled to vote from overseas, that the committee notes that the Constitutional Convention is expected to consult and to publish a report on reform of the Dáil electoral system which may very well include those voting overseas and giving citizens outside of the State the right to vote in presidential elections at Irish embassies. The committee suggests that the petitioner may wish to make a submission to the Constitutional Convention, supporting the view that voting rights should be extended to Irish citizens living abroad. The view of the committee is that publication of the report will present an opportunity for informed debate on public policy in this area. The committee considers that in the interim it would be premature for this or any other committee to consider the issue of electoral reform, given that it is before the Constitutional Convention. In the circumstances the committee has decided to close the petition. Is that agreed?