Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government contains a commitment to hold a referendum during the lifetime of this Government on the question of extending the Presidential election franchise to Irish citizens abroad.

In line with that commitment, the Government restored the Thirty-Ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill to the Dáil Order Paper in July 2020.

The date for the holding of the referendum will be decided once the legislation has been approved by the Oireachtas, with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage making an order setting the day upon which a referendum will take place.

Once the legislation is approved by Dail and Seanad, the timetable for the referendum will begin and the referendum must take place between 30 and 90 days after the passage of the legislation.

Such a decision will involve many considerations, including the possibility of more than one decision being submitted to the electorate.

Another decisive factor will be the level of confidence of the Government in the probable approval of the referendum. Where the Government has a choice, it will clearly, and entirely reasonably, exercise its preference for a timing which it believes will enhance the probability for support by the electorate.

The Government is continuing to reflect carefully on such questions.