Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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65. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide an outline of explorations into the provision of voting rights for Irish emigrants in the presidential election; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30270/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Convention on the Constitution, in its Fifth Report, recommended that voting rights be extended in presidential elections to Irish citizens resident outside the State. The Government considered the Convention report in February 2015 and decided that it would be necessary to analyse the full range of legal, practical and policy issues arising before any decision could be made on the holding of a referendum on the matter. The estimated costs arising would also need to be fully analysed and considered. The Government asked the then Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, in co-operation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Minister of State with responsibility for diaspora affairs, to analyse these issues and to report back to the Government in due course.

A range of complex and interrelated issues are being examined as part of the analysis being undertaken. For example, the potentially very high number of citizens outside the State is an important consideration. Questions arise as to whether voting rights should be extended to all citizens resident outside the State or to particular categories of citizens such as passport holders, those born in Ireland or those who have lived outside the State for a limited period. The registration of voters who are resident outside the State and the way in which they would be enabled to vote are other important matters that need to be considered. This work is ongoing in my Department with a view to its completion as soon as possible.