Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is a commitment in the programme for Government to hold a referendum to extend voting rights in presidential elections to our citizens living abroad. When will that referendum happen? We are hopelessly out of step with the European Union and the rest of the world in extending any kind of democratic opportunity to our citizens living in Northern Ireland and across the world. These are people who have a major stake in the future of Ireland. We know, for example, that 30,000 of our citizens returned home to Ireland last year. By the very fact of moving abroad, our citizens are denied the right to play their part in shaping the future of this country. We are completely out of step with so many other countries who offer this opportunity to their citizens. Ireland does not do so. When are we going to make it happen?

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