Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am a huge supporter of the motion and it is very simple for me. It is this island's second city and I support the motion and always have done. I am biased, being from County Louth and living between the two capital cities of this island, I believe we should have a passport office in Belfast. I am more prescriptive than the Senator who mentions anywhere in the North but I say it should be in Belfast. Senator Ó Donnghaile put out all the practical reasons. We spoke about the demand and the efficiencies that could be made; again all very practical issues. Other Senators spoke about the symbol of the Irish passport and for me also, when I got my passport on my first trip abroad when I was 17, it was a big deal. I was very proud to get my Irish passport. I still have my very first one in the drawer. It means a lot to me. That symbol and symbolism in general, is very important on this island. There is an argument for it because of that huge symbol and it is important that we have a passport office in Belfast. I follow on from other work my Fianna Fáil colleagues and I, as well as my Social Democratic and Labour Party, SDLP, colleagues, have been doing in calling for the franchise for the presidential elections to be extended to people in the North. According to our Constitution, they are entitled. They are Irish citizens and I fundamentally believe that that referendum and Bill should be moved to extend that franchise to our citizens, friends and family in the North and have their votes heard in the next presidential election.