Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

What progress has been made on the sectoral meetings agreed at the plenary meeting in June? As we approach the date of the Presidential election at the end of this month, can I bring to the Taoiseach's attention the fact that Irish citizens in the North and in the diaspora are excluded from voting? Tá a fhios ag an Taoiseach go bhfuil suim ag a lán daoine 60 míle ón gcathair seo go mbeidís ábalta vóta a chaitheamh sa toghchán, ach níl an ceart sin acu go fóill. Does the Taoiseach agree that the extension of voting rights to all Irish citizens and passport holders would be a natural outworking of the Good Friday agreement, which enshrines the right of the people of the North to Irish citizenship? Has the Taoiseach given any further consideration to extending the franchise for Presidential elections north of the Border? Perhaps that can be considered in the context of the upcoming planned constitutional convention.

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