Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

My constituency runs along the border of Sligo-Leitrim into south Donegal. The people in Kiltyclogher and Cashel are the same people. People in some parts of Ireland do not understand that. They are related to each other. They are the same people in every way. Their farms straddle the Border. We all understand that yet this artificial division made on the island of Ireland almost 100 years ago now means people cannot vote for the Head of State in their own country. It is ridiculous. I recall after I was first elected in 2016, there was a debate about this. I think Enda Kenny was Taoiseach at the time. He said we were pushing an open door. I do not understand how pushing an open door can take ten years to open it. It does not seem logical. There has to be a recognition by the Government that this has to change quickly. A presidential election is coming up soon. There have been expressions of interest from citizens who live in the North already; there may be more. That is welcome. It is what we need to see. They cannot vote for themselves in this election. It has happened in the past. We need an absolute commitment from the Government tonight that this will be the last time there is a Presidential election in which people on all parts of this island are not able to vote for their President. We should also look internationally. We saw people living here from Brazil go to their embassy to vote in that election, as did people from the United States and Poland. Yet, Irish people are denied that right. That must change now.

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