Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have called out, again, the two conservative parties in power, Fine Gael being deeply conservative. They are not going to move the motion forward. I particularly welcome Senator McDowell's comment because, let us be honest, we do not agree too often. Today he put it very well. We know what is going on here. It is pretence. I think of the emigrant families and I think of my own family in the US and in Britain - and all of us can say this - are going to be hugely disappointed with what has gone on here today. It is pretence and it is a game and to borrow the words of St. Augustine, "give me emigrant voting, but not yet", let us push it out and kick the can down the road. It marks so much of this Government. As the Minister knows, Sinn Féin is committed to supporting emigrant voting rights in presidential elections. It can be done. There are 28 countries in Africa, 16 countries in the Americas, 41 countries in Europe, ten countries in Oceania and 20 countries in Asia that have voting rights. There are no practical impediments. Of course a structure must be worked out but we can do that. I am putting on the record that it is quite evident that the political will is not here. Some 300,000 people have had to leave our shores in the last number of years.