Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is an urgent need for a really inclusive democracy - based on equality - for citizens throughout Ireland and for those of people who have been forced to leave this country through no fault of their own. The diaspora is an important part of the Irish nation.

Tá timpeall 70 milliún saoránaigh ar fud an domhain a deir gur de fhréamhacha Éireannach iad. Cé gur oileán beag muid, is náisiúin ollmhór muid atá scaipthe ar fud na n-ilchríoch. Tá an ghéarchéim eacnamaíochta atá againn faoi láthair ag cur brú ar 240 duine imeacht ón Stát gach aon lá. Tá 400,000 duine imithe sna cúig bliana anuas. Is géarchéim í an eisimirce éigeantach, agus go dtí seo theip ar rialtais i ndiaidh a chéile dul i ngleic leis an fhadhb seo.

Tá an t-am ann chun stop a chuir le seo. Caithfear straitéisí agus polasaithe a chur i bhfeidhm a bhfuil ábalta an eisimirce a aisiompú. Chun sin a dhéanamh, creideann Sinn Féin go bhfuil straitéis diaspóra de dhíth. Creideann muid gur cóir vóta i dtoghchán uachtaránachta a thabhairt do na saoránaigh sin a bhfuil lonnaithe lasmuigh den Stát.

The current inequality of citizenship which punishes Irish citizens living outside the State must be ended. The Constitutional Convention took a significant step in the context of recognising equal rights for all Irish citizens by recommending voting rights in presidential elections for citizens living in the North and those Irish citizens living abroad. This was a significant contribution to both democratic reform and to reform of the system which obtains here-----

See this speech in context