Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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122. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in the context of European Parliament elections, if a presiding officer at a polling station has discretion to allow a person to vote even if there is an 'L' next to their name on the electoral register but they provide evidence, such as a passport, that they are an Irish citizen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23920/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Irish citizens, who meet the age and residency requirements, can vote in all elections and referendums in the State provided they are registered in the register of electors. The letter ‘L’ placed against the name of an elector in the register indicates that the person concerned is registered as a local government elector and is entitled to vote at local elections only. Presiding Officers at polling stations do not have any discretion to give a ballot paper for the European Parliament elections to a person with the letter ‘L’ opposite their name on the register. Where a person included in the register of electors with ‘L’ opposite their name becomes an Irish Citizen, they should notify the registration authority so that their changed status can be noted for subsequent registers of electors.