James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that I flag the issue in order that we can get it right. I know I have the support of the Minister in this regard. The register should be updated and published yearly, with a system of continuous registration to be devised.

The European elections provide us with an opportunity to look after our emigrants abroad. It is our duty to care for Irish people abroad. It is bad enough to see people having to emigrate without being disenfranchised also. We have many highly skilled workers who are deprived of the right to work and live in their own country. This is not the fault of the Government. We hope to get the economic climate right to which they can come back. We cannot penalise them further by refusing them the right to be part of the democratic process. It is high time, therefore, that we recognised that workers who are forced to leave the country should be entitled to be treated as citizens, with all the rights of citizenship. One of these rights is the right to vote in European parliamentary elections. I would extend this right to national and local elections. Will the Minister examine such a move? This is a practice followed in most European countries and internationally. According to a recent study, 121 countries, including 36 European countries, have put in place mechanisms to allow their emigrants to vote. It is becoming highly unusual that the only non-residents allowed to vote in Dáil and European elections are Army personnel and diplomats stationed abroad. All of our citizens should be provided with this facility. I know that the e-voting machines introduced by the previous Government were a disaster, but with the use of modern technology we could enable emigrants to vote in Oireachtas and European parliamentary elections. We are not too far away from seeing this happen in Ireland.

Democracy is all about the people ruling themselves.

It is about encouraging people to take an interest in their society. It is not just a system; it is an idea that has been cultivated. I know that the Government is committed to ensuring better communications with our Parliament. There should be a greater role for our MEPs in the national Parliament. Most other European countries facilitate their MEPs to a greater extent than we do and I would like to see the same happen in this country. Broadening the role of our MEPs should probably have been considered by the Convention on the Constitution. I know it has been touched on, but greater discussion and debate should take place about it.

I thank and compliment the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government on the fine job he is doing. He has adopted a hands-on approach, as acknowledged the length and breadth of Ireland among public representatives and communities. He recently visited my own constituency of Longford-Westmeath and the general public very much appreciated what he was doing for local government, communities and, above all, services used by local people.

See this speech in context