Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

So much for backbenchers wanting so much time on Leaders' Questions. The Government did all this for Lowry and now its backbenchers do not even turn up for the thing it forced through. It is so embarrassing.

This week saw a historic vote in the Assembly in support of extending presidential voting rights to Irish citizens in the North. It is a powerful message from the Assembly, one that transcends political differences and affirms the principles of equality enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement. It has been 12 years since the constitutional convention in Dublin voted overwhelmingly to extend the vote and nine years since Fine Gael committed in a programme for Government to holding a referendum. We have had three Governments since then but nothing has happened. The Government has a constitutional duty to uphold the citizenship rights of everybody born on the island of Ireland. This is about equality, recognition and democratic participation. We should not be facing into a presidential election where citizens in the North are again excluded. This must be the last time it ever happens. The time for excuses is over. Will the Tánaiste's Government stop the delaying, set a date, act on this long overdue promise and allow for voting rights in presidential elections for citizens in the North as the Assembly democratically voted on earlier this week?

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