Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)

I thank my colleagues in the Sinn Féin Party who brought this motion forward. It is almost a carbon copy of the motion that was brought forward by my colleague in Aontú, a motion co-signed by Independent Ireland. I thank Aontú for bringing that motion before the House in recent weeks. There is merit in tonight's motion. The reality is that there are a number of disenfranchised people on this island who should be allowed to vote. However, there is a greater question, as my colleague, Deputy O'Donoghue, just mentioned. There are 500,000 Irish-born citizens living in the United Kingdom. There are an estimated 130,000 Irish-born holders of Irish passports living in the United States. In Australia, there are 80,000 to 100,000 Irish-born holders of Irish passports. In Canada, there are an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Irish-born holders of Irish passports. There are 18,000 people, many of them retired, in Spain and Portugal who are holders of Irish passports. These people disenfranchised not just in presidential elections but also in general elections and local elections.

There is a wider question that has to be answered here in the House. How is it when we see elections being called around Europe and in further places that we see citizens of other countries - European and non-European countries - have voting rights? They can go to their embassies or post their vote to the embassy like the Spanish do. We have a large community of Polish people living in Ireland, in the Republic, and they have made their homes here. However, our Polish citizens who are interested in their country, intend to go back to their country and hold Polish passports vote in Cork City Hall when elections are called. There are various polling stations built for them.

We are talking about doing it for the people of Northern Ireland like it is a big shock. These are people who are only up the road from us. As my colleague said, there are Thirty-two Counties in Ireland, not Twenty-six Counties. We are disenfranchising that. Let us call a spade a spade. Why are we disenfranchising the people of the North? Why are we disenfranchising the Irish who live in the United States? Why are we disenfranchising those who live in the UAE or in Australia? It is happening because this Government is fearful. I can guarantee that the majority of the 80,000 who are living in Australia are anxious to come home but have no jobs or no houses to come home to. Perhaps they would register their disappointment with this Government at elections. Perhaps those who are living in the UK who had to leave this shore to get jobs and employment because there were no opportunities for them here and they cannot get make a living here would register their disappointment with this Government and its politics.

The reality is that the Government does not want Irish citizens around the world voting. It knows what it has done to those people it has cast out of this country and not allowed to come back. It has not created an environment for those who are anxious to live in their country to come back to. That is the reality of life today in Ireland and it is very disingenuous to see the Government is not opening up voting, at least in the presidential election. This should be extended to general, local and European elections. Surely Irish citizens should have the right to have a say about their own country and not be disenfranchised.

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