Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

461. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if consideration has been given to extend voting rights for general elections to EU citizens living here as per the Electoral Act 1992; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16419/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under Part II of the Electoral Act 1992, every person is entitled to be entered on the register of electors if that person:

- has reached the age of 18 years, and

- is ordinarily resident in a constituency in the State.

Subject to the age and residency requirements, a registered elector’s citizenship then determines the polls at which he or she is entitled to vote. Irish citizens alone are entitled to vote at all elections (i.e. local, European, Dáil, and presidential) and at referendums.

Under the Common Travel Area agreement, reciprocal arrangements are in place with regard to voting rights between Irish citizens resident in the United Kingdom and British citizens resident in Ireland. In this regard, British citizens resident in Ireland are also eligible to vote at elections to Dáil Éireann as well as at local elections.

Citizens of other Member States of the European Union may vote at European Parliament and local elections. Under European Union law, only citizens of the European Union have the right to vote (and stand for election) in European Parliament elections.

Non-EU citizens may vote at local elections only.

Under section 8 of the Electoral Act 1992, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage may by order provide for citizens of another EU Member State who are ordinarily resident in Ireland to be registered as Dáil electors on a reciprocal basis, where the Minister is satisfied that the Member State involved grants Irish citizens resident in that country the right to vote at parliamentary elections there on an equal basis with its own nationals. No such order has been made to date and I am not aware of any proposals to extend voting rights at parliamentary elections to Irish citizens resident in any other EU Member State.

While electoral law is kept under ongoing review, I currently have no plans to change the existing arrangements in respect of voting rights.