Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)

As we know, Mary McAleese was the first President of Ireland born in the Six Counties and she proved to be a very effective President. However, incredibly, when she ran for election in 1997, she was not allowed to vote for herself. Our Presidents Mary Robinson, Mary McAleese and Michael D. Higgins could have presented the Sam Maguire or Liam MacCarthy cups to players like Joe Brolly, Peter Canavan or Oisín McConville in Croke Park on all-Ireland final day but those same Irishman were not allowed to vote for these same Presidents. It is wrong, it is ridiculous and it is blinkered. It is the result of a very partitionist mindset of this Parliament over the past century that has viewed the Irish nation as an entity that ends at Dundalk, Clones or Lifford.

Ba chóir agus ba cheart go mbeadh cead ag muintir na hÉireann, muintir na Sé Chontae, Fear Manach, Ard Mhacha, Tír Eoghain, Doire Cholmchille, Aontroim agus an Dún, vótáil i dtoghchán d'Uachtarántacht na hÉireann. Our fellow citizens in the Six Counties should be able to vote in the presidential election. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil Governments have previously accepted this right but, of course, did nothing about it. Last month, we had an historic vote in the Northern Assembly in support of extending the voting right to the Irish citizens of the Six Counties, and 12 years ago, the constitutional assembly in this State voted similarly. Bunreacht na hÉireann states that it is the birthright of every person born on the island of Ireland to be part of the Irish nation and to call themselves an Irish citizen. Unfortunately, many of our citizens in the Six Counties, as well as those abroad in the diaspora, feel completely abandoned by this State.

The Government has a constitutional duty to uphold the citizenship rights of everybody born on the island of Ireland. We should not be facing into this presidential election in a few months' time with fellow citizens in the Six Counties once again excluded. This must be the last time it happens. The time for excuses is over. People want to see action from this Government, not just fine words.

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