Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

235. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the referendum in respect of voting rights in presidential elections for Irish citizens outside the State, which was announced recently, will be held. [13986/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government recently decided to hold a referendum to amend the Constitution to give the right to vote at presidential elections to Irish citizens resident outside the State, including Northern Ireland.

In order to inform public discourse on the significant policy change proposed, I published an Options Paper on 22 March 2017, which is available on my Department's website at . The Options Paper sets out the range of options available to give effect to the recommendation in the Fifth Report of the Convention on the Constitution. It will also provide a basis for a discussion on voting rights, which will be one of the topics to be addressed at the Global Irish Civic Forum in Dublin in May. These considerations will inform the preparation of the necessary legislation for a referendum. No decision has been taken by Government in relation to the timing of the referendum.

If approved in a referendum, the extension of the franchise, as proposed, would require modernisation of the voter registration process and the introduction of arrangements to facilitate those eligible to vote to exercise their franchise from outside the State. Accordingly, the Government has agreed that my Department should now commence work to effect improvements in the registration of voters.