864:
But we cannot ignore the fact that this is not straightforward and there are a number of policy, legal and practical issues that have to be thoroughly considered. The
Government has asked Minister Kelly in cooperation with Minister Flanagan and myself to analyse these issues and report back to
212:
established in 2012 was directed to report on several issues, including "giving citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in
Presidential elections at Irish embassies, or otherwise". It considered the matter at its plenary meeting on 28–29 September 2013 and recommended allowing
114:
without distinction of sex who have reached the age of eighteen years who are not disqualified by law and comply with the provisions of the law relating to the election of members of Dáil Éireann, shall have the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann.
176:
which the
Oireachtas need not approve. It would be possible to give nonresidents the vote in both Dáil and Presidential elections by amending the 1992 act, but limiting the nonresident franchise to presidential elections would require a constitutional amendment.
195:
is large and the question of voting rights for emigrants and other expatriates has arisen continually since the 1980s. The
Oireachtas committee on the constitution considered the matter in 2002; it recommended no extension of the franchise, but that among the
456:
a transitory
Article 12A would be inserted to delay the effect of the Article 12.3 changes until 1 January 2025. This gives enough time to amend the Electoral Act 1992 to "regulate the detail and practical implementation of an extended franchise". Incumbent
461:' seven-year term expires on 10 November 2025, after the Article 12A cutoff date. Conversely, the new nonresident franchise would not apply to an early election for a vacancy caused by the President's death, resignation or removal from office.
652:
965:
the proposed referendum on extending the franchise at presidential elections to Irish citizens resident outside the State which it is intended will be held on the same date as the local and
European elections in late May/early June
160:. The last provision allows for reciprocal agreements where Irish citizens resident in another EU country are allowed to vote in that country's legislative elections. As of 2020 no such agreement or ministerial order has been made.
906:
933:
448:
to "All citizens without distinction of sex who have reached the age of eighteen years who are not disqualified by law and comply with the provisions of the law relating to elections for the office of
President"
416:, the referendum would be postponed until October; it also agreed that the proposal would be "an extension of the franchise to all citizens resident outside the State, including citizens resident in
373:
listing seven options for eligibility criteria and associated implementation measures, and promised a constitutional referendum on whichever option it would select, to be held in May 2019 alongside
343:
847:
1200:
453:
in
Article 12.3.3°, the window for organising Presidential elections to would be increased from 60 to 90 days, to allow for the longer time to process ballots from abroad.
676:
577:
334:
said it was "committed to undertaking … analysis" of the "complex and inter-related issues" involved in the recommendation. It had already responded in March 2015 to a
403:
All citizens on the island and all citizens resident outside the island of
Ireland who were born on the island or who have lived on the island for at least one year.
168:
which can be amended by a subsequent act of the
Oireachtas; the Constitution can be amended by act of the Oireachtas but subject to approval of the electorate at a
729:
578:"Fifth Report: Amending the Constitution to give citizens resident outside the State the right to vote in Presidential elections at Irish embassies, or otherwise"
1009:
1210:
29:
822:
420:". The text of the bill was agreed by the cabinet on 11 June, and the Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill 2019 (
330:
was supposed to give an official response in the Dáil within four months of receiving the convention's report, it was not until January 2016 that
675:
Oireachtas All-party committee on the Constitution (2002). "Chapter 4: Northern Ireland and emigrant participation in national political life".
429:
347:
197:
71:
Every citizen who has the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann shall have the right to vote at an election for President.
877:
907:"Coveney publishes an Options Paper on extending the eligibility for citizens resident outside the State to vote at presidential elections"
581:
795:
209:
384:
All citizens on the island of Ireland, and all citizens outside the island of Ireland for a period of time who have lived in the State;
186:
44:
1225:
1065:
598:
1220:
685:
362:
339:
327:
653:"Overseas voting in presidential elections: representative democracy, electoral integrity and the situation in EU States"
17:
878:"Report of the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs on Voting Rights of Irish Citizens Abroad: Motion (Continued)"
489:
413:
366:
37:
1215:
1195:
374:
25:
485:
390:
All citizens on the island of Ireland, and all citizens resident outside the island of Ireland who hold a valid
387:
All citizens on the island of Ireland, and all citizens who have left the island in the previous 15 or 20 years;
934:"Announcement by the Taoiseach on Voting Rights in Presidential Elections for Irish Citizens outside the State"
1205:
64:
48:
220:
Should citizens resident in Northern Ireland have the right to vote in Presidential elections? Yes 73–20 No
217:
Should citizens resident outside the State have the right to vote in Presidential elections? Yes 78–21 No
504:
supported nonresident voting in Presidential elections. It was restored to the order paper in July 2020.
470:
173:
165:
538:
1177:
1090:
1033:
Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill 2019, explanatory memorandum
474:
135:
128:
123:
The relevant law is section 8 of the Electoral Act 1992, which provides that, to be eligible for the
948:
335:
1140:
769:
1115:
1048:
639:
493:
458:
124:
1141:"Restoration of Bills to Order Paper: Motion – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Tuesday, 28 July 2020"
1010:"Cabinet approves plan for referendum on Irish citizens abroad voting in presidential elections"
75:
1043:
631:
342:", saying "policy, legal and practical issues" on diaspora voting should be considered by the
157:
52:
978:
621:
613:
478:
417:
397:
All citizens resident outside the State who were previously registered to vote in the State;
1171:
710:
149:
982:
445:
from "Every citizen who has the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann"
442:
in Article 12.3.2°, the qualification for voting in Presidential elections would change
213:
expatriate citizens to vote. It made some more detailed discussions, voting as follows:
391:
370:
351:
192:
338:
communication on "the consequences of disenfranchisement of Union citizens exercising
1189:
643:
432:
425:
355:
145:
21:
848:"Minister Deenihan address to the Seanad on Global Irish: Ireland's Diaspora Policy"
519:
557:
501:
33:
16:
Various proposals have been considered since the 1980s to extend the franchise in
617:
254:
Just citizens who have lived in Republic of Ireland as adults within the last...
79:
520:"Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (Presidential Elections) Bill 2019"
466:
421:
400:
Citizens resident outside the State who were born on the island of Ireland; or
331:
169:
153:
83:
635:
497:
32:
to facilitate this extension. The bill lapsed in January 2020 when the
626:
200:
should be "a person or persons with an awareness of emigrant issues".
1066:"Government sets up referendum commission for presidential elections"
412:
In February 2019, the government decided that, due to the urgency of
1091:"A future to Look Forward to: Building the Republic of Opportunity"
1116:"Giving workers & families a break: A Manifesto for Change"
599:"Should Irish Emigrants have Votes? External Voting in Ireland"
438:
The bill proposed to amend the constitution in three places:
109:
such other persons in the State as may be determined by law,
86:(parliament) and Article 16.1.2° of the Constitution states:
344:
Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government
369:
accepted the convention's 2013 recommendation, published a
796:"Convention on the Constitution Final Reports: Statements"
352:
Minister of State with responsibility for diaspora affairs
1044:"Referendum Commission (Establishment) (No.2) Order 2019"
238:
All Irish citizens resident outside the island of Ireland
823:"Constitutional Convention Recommendations (Continued)"
759:
Oireachtas All-party Committee on the Constitution p.59
913:(Press release). Government of Ireland. 22 March 2017
40:, but was restored to the order paper in July 2020.
246:
Just citizens who have lived in Republic of Ireland
576:Convention on the Constitution (November 2013).
901:
899:
69:
488:of the 32nd Dáil on 14 January 2020, prior to
8:
936:(Press release). Department of the Taoiseach
473:was established on 26 September, chaired by
1201:Electoral reform in the Republic of Ireland
662:. Oireachtas Library & Research Service
55:and certain public servants posted abroad.
465:Irish constitutional amendments require a
90:
625:
24:resident outside the state. In 2019, the
776:. Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 July 2012
381:All citizens resident outside the State;
255:
226:
865:Government and that is what we will do.
732:. Citizens Information. 7 February 2020
702:
1096:. Fine Gael. January 2020. p. 101
854:. Government of Ireland. 10 March 2015
430:Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
348:Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
164:The Electoral Act 1992 is an ordinary
651:Lynch, Catherine (27 February 2019).
328:Fine Gael–Labour coalition government
7:
1180:presentations at the plenary session
562:electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB)
543:electronic Irish Statute Book (eISB)
45:nonresident voting rights in Ireland
1168:Constitutional Convention website:
770:"Constitutional Convention: Motion"
711:"Written answers: Electoral Reform"
678:Seventh Progress Report: Parliament
198:senators nominated by the Taoiseach
63:At present, Article 12.2.2° of the
955:. KildareStreet.com. 17 April 2018
187:Right of Irish expatriates to vote
14:
1211:Presidential elections in Ireland
1174:(Select Category "Right to Vote")
1064:Quann, Jack (26 September 2019).
1008:McNeice, Stephen (11 June 2019).
1178:Video Archive > Right to Vote
774:Dáil Éireann (31st Dáil) debates
684:. pp. 40–59. Archived from
484:The 2019 bill lapsed with the
1:
884:. Oireachtas. 23 October 2015
618:10.1080/07907184.2011.619749
340:their right to free movement
18:Irish presidential elections
1172:Submissions from the public
821:Kenny, Enda (9 June 2015).
1242:
377:. The seven options were:
358:said this work had begun.
184:
152:, or a citizen of another
558:"Constitution of Ireland"
210:Constitutional Convention
204:Constitutional Convention
172:. Ministerial orders are
113:
49:university constituencies
1226:Proposed laws of Ireland
597:Honohan, Iseult (2011).
524:Houses of the Oireachtas
1121:. Sinn FĂ©in. p. 97
606:Irish Political Studies
361:In 2017 the government
65:Constitution of Ireland
1221:2019 in Irish politics
983:"Referendum Campaigns"
660:Spotlight No.1 of 2019
435:on 16 September 2019.
73:
36:was dissolved for the
30:amend the constitution
471:Referendum Commission
259:... (number of years)
174:secondary legislation
166:act of the Oireachtas
141:at least 18 years old
43:At present, the only
38:2020 general election
28:introduced a bill to
981:(20 February 2019).
882:Dáil Éireann debates
827:Dáil Éireann debates
800:Dáil Éireann debates
539:"Electoral Act 1992"
490:the general election
424:no. 68 of 2019) was
312:Undecided/No opinion
181:Political background
1052:. 26 September 2019
989:. KildareStreet.com
730:"General elections"
691:on 20 October 2013.
494:election manifestos
492:on 8 February. The
428:in the Dáil by the
414:dealing with Brexit
375:the local elections
354:; in October 2015,
336:European Commission
322:Government response
138:in the constituency
136:ordinarily resident
1049:Irish Statute Book
584:on 6 November 2017
459:Michael D. Higgins
125:electoral register
99:All citizens, and
1216:2019 in Irish law
1196:Expatriate voting
979:Phelan, John Paul
802:. 14 January 2016
717:. 14 October 2014
715:KildareStreet.com
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318:
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158:ministerial order
129:Dáil constituency
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580:. Archived from
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418:Northern Ireland
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91:
59:Legal background
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953:Written answers
949:"Postal Voting"
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932:Ruth, Maguire.
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469:. The required
410:
324:
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150:British citizen
131:, one must be:
72:
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26:then government
12:
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1206:Irish diaspora
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1163:External links
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1148:. Retrieved
1144:
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886:. Retrieved
881:
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856:. Retrieved
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830:. Retrieved
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816:
804:. Retrieved
799:
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778:. Retrieved
773:
764:
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746:
734:. Retrieved
719:. Retrieved
714:
705:
686:the original
677:
664:. Retrieved
659:
609:
605:
586:. Retrieved
582:the original
565:. Retrieved
561:
546:. Retrieved
542:
529:19 September
527:. Retrieved
523:
483:
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163:
127:for a given
122:
76:Dáil Éireann
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888:27 November
858:27 November
832:27 November
486:dissolution
282:Percentage
233:Percentage
230:Restriction
80:lower house
1190:Categories
1145:Oireachtas
1075:10 October
1056:10 October
1019:10 October
806:15 January
627:10197/4346
508:References
475:High Court
467:referendum
426:introduced
365:after the
332:Ann Phelan
185:See also:
170:referendum
154:EU country
144:either an
84:Oireachtas
697:Citations
644:154639410
636:0790-7184
502:Sinn FĂ©in
498:Fine Gael
408:2019 bill
277:No limit
34:32nd Dáil
1150:6 August
1125:26 March
1100:26 March
1070:Newstalk
1014:Newstalk
993:28 March
959:23 April
940:23 March
917:23 April
780:28 March
736:23 March
721:23 March
666:14 April
588:28 March
567:28 March
548:28 March
350:and the
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513:Sources
82:of the
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363:formed
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632:ISSN
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500:and
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208:The
191:The
148:, a
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