Conor Murphy (Sinn Fein)

Some years ago at the citizens assembly, there was a strong recommendation that the Government give consideration to introducing voting rights in presidential elections for Irish citizens north of the Border and potentially throughout the Irish diaspora. The Government at the time undertook to legislate to do that but it failed to do so in the last mandate. It has not appeared in the programme for Government in this mandate, which is doubly disappointing given there is a presidential election coming up in the autumn. There is a real sense of despair and of being let down among many citizens, particularly north of the Border, who had wished to have an opportunity to vote for the President who is, as his title decrees, the President of Ireland.

Yesterday, in the Assembly in Stormont, a majority of MLAs voted to call on the Government to extend voting rights in the presidential election to citizens in the North. The fact that a majority of MLAs elected in the North voted to support that proposition should not be underestimated. It was a significant vote. The First Minister has undertaken to speak to the Taoiseach in relation to the outcome of the vote. I ask that the Leader bring the matter to the attention of the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste; that the Taoiseach and Tánaiste recognise that a democratic imperative has been created in the Assembly in respect of this matter; that they engage with the First Minister and others who are interested - and wide sectors in the North and across the island are interested - in this proposition; and that they move to reinstate the commitment they previously made to ensure voting rights for people north of the Border. I am not sure if that is doable this side of a presidential election. It is, however, deeply disappointing that something that was committed to was not delivered in the last mandate and that, it would seem, there is no intention of delivering on it in this one.

I hope the vote that took place in the Assembly will give some impetus to this discussion. Its significance as regards where people are at on the northern side of the Border should not be lost on this democratic institution. I hope the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste will reflect on that and bring forward propositions to address this matter urgently.