Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)

I thank Deputies Brian Stanley and Catherine Connolly for their flexibility on speaking slots.

I am delighted to speak on the motion. Often, we focus on the urgent issues, which are very important for sure, but forget about the important issues that pertain to this country and its development. Shockingly, an Irish citizen in the North can stand for election as President, campaign for election and win the election but is prohibited from voting in it. That is incredible. An Irish citizen living in the North with an Irish passport, recognised by the Good Friday Agreement, is not allowed by this State to vote in a presidential election. That is very sad and dangerous. It means we have a two-tier situation. It is deeply undemocratic and against the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.

Let us imagine the joy Irish citizens in the North of Ireland would experience if, for the first time since 1918, they were able to vote in a democratic expression of self-determination on an equal basis with those in the rest of the country. The Minister of State has potentially a legacy to leave regarding that historic event if he grasps this. This is not a zero-sum situation. It is not the case that for nationalists or republicans to achieve a right, a right has to be taken away from unionists or loyalists. This removes no rights from our unionist brothers and sisters in the North. The power to change this is not in Westminster. We do not have to go with a begging bowl to persuade the British Government. The power to change is not in Stormont, and we do not have to try to change the views of the DUP or UUP to achieve this objective. The power is in this Chamber and in the ballot boxes throughout the Twenty-six Counties.

The Government, in its inaction, is withholding the rights of 700,000 citizens in the North. One of the things I have noticed in this Chamber is that historically one of the best ways for a Minister to say “No” has been to say “Yes” and do nothing about it. That is what is happening in this country. We have opinion polls in the South indicating the majority are in favour of a united Ireland. A vote in Stormont indicated a majority of MLAs support this particular project.

Practically every political party in Leinster House has stated in their manifestos that they are in support of this. Why is this not happening? I will tell you why it is not happening and I will be honest with the Minister of State about this. I believe that the narrow self-interests of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael do not want an all-Ireland vote on a presidential election, because they do not want 700,000 Northern nationalists voting in a presidential election, because they fear that it could hand the seat over to a Sinn Féin candidate in this election and maybe others. Withholding an election because you do not like the result is profoundly undemocratic and profoundly wrong. You should never ever treat the right to a franchise in that manner. I do not want a Sinn Féin President either. I am a member of Aontú. We are an all-Ireland political party. The SDLP also garners many nationalist votes in the North. If you really want to stop Northern nationalists from voting for Sinn Féin a presidential election, organise in the North. Set up Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil cumanns in the North. In that scenario, stand in local elections. If a small party like us can do that, surely a well-funded organisation like the Minister of State's party can too.

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