Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is Second Stage of the Bill. We acknowledge that it can be improved. The Second Stage speech of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, was almost like a Committee Stage contribution, going through the technical issues, the problems and so on.

Apparently, it is impossible for us to allow our citizens to vote in embassies overseas, yet for many other countries there is no difficulty in allowing their citizens to come to vote in their national elections in their embassies in Dublin. For some reason, it is beyond our capacity to ever countenance organising it, and that is the proposition that is coming back. It is wrong.

I urge the Minister of State to give consideration to the principle of this Bill and allow it through to Committee Stage-----

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