The incoming Dublin government has been urged to “end the denial of voting rights” in presidential elections for Irish citizens living outside the Republic.
The call from Sinn Féin Stormont minister and Seanad candidate Conor Murphy comes amid the absence in the recently agreed draft programme for government of a commitment to hold a referendum on extending voting rights to the Irish diaspora.
As far back as 2013, the Irish Convention on the Constitution recommended that Irish citizens resident outside of the 26 counties ought to have the right to vote in presidential elections, such as that schedule to take place later this year to elect Michael D Higgins’ successor.
The programme for government agreed in 2020 by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens pledged to hold a referendum on extending the franchise for presidential elections to citizens living outside the state.
With a small number of exceptions for Irish Defence Forces personnel and partners, alongside some civil servants, those living outside the Republic for more than 18 months are disenfranchised.
Mr Murphy claimed Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s “political self-interest” had delayed the extension of the franchise.
“The draft programme for government, which will form the basis of the incoming administration, makes no mention of the issue,” he said.
“This denial of democratic rights is unacceptable and must end.”
The Newry and Armagh MLA said a referendum to amend Article 12 of the Irish constitution was agreed by the government in 2017, yet no progress had been made since.
“The time for excuses is over – it’s long past time to deliver on this important democratic right for all Irish citizens at home and abroad,” he said.
Queen’s University Belfast human rights lecturer Professor Colin Harvey said the incoming Dublin government needed to clarify why it had dropped the previous commitment to hold a referendum on presidential voting rights.
He said such a move would be “of profound concern and disappointment to many in the north and beyond”.
“There will be another Irish presidential election this year where we will once again be denied voting rights,” he said.
“Think about it: we are not permitted to vote for our own president.
“How long must we be expected to wait for change? The warm words about a shared island often sound very hollow indeed.”
Fianna Fáil, the senior partner in the new coalition government, was approached for comment.
