Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This week, there are big initiatives to attempt to mobilise people and get them to register to vote. Some 60,000 people have become eligible to vote as a consequence. I commend the National Youth Council of Ireland on its initiatives to increase the number on the electoral register and participation. Imagine if the 60,000 were 500,000. Data from Census 2016 indicate there are 535,475 non-Irish residents living in this State. This represents a decrease of 1.6% since 2011.

Today I am proud to introduce Sinn Féin's third initiative concerning democracy, participation, empowerment and voting rights in the Seanad. It began with a proposal on voting rights in the presidential election, and it continued with my own initiative on lowering the voting age. Today's initiative, the Electoral (Amendment) (Voting Rights for Residents) Bill 2017 would afford voting rights in Dáil and European Parliament elections to non-Irish residents who have been in this State for five years. As a republican party, Sinn Féin will continue to prioritise initiatives that empower citizens and residents, even if that does not suit the PR unit of the Government. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 11 be taken before No. 1. As many people as possible should be entitled to vote. One should not have to become a citizen of the State in order to do so. Some of those affected have lived here their whole lives, including some of my closest friends. An individual from Norway who has lived here without a family and who remains a Norwegian citizen would love the opportunity to vote in this State.