Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2023-04-19
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Simon Coveney (FG), Cork South-Central

I wish first to recognise the role of the Deputy in building that connection with the Irish diaspora throughout the world when he was Minister of State with that brief. He made a significant impact. He and I discussed many times the commitment that the Government has made to extend voting rights to Irish people living abroad for presidential elections. I am still committed to this. It is part of the programme for Government. It requires a referendum, of course, which is not straightforward. In some ways, we have been prevented in recent years from holding referendums through the Covid period, which has made it more complicated because we have a series of referendums that the Government wants to deliver between now and the next election. This is one of them. I do not have a date for the Deputy but I confirm that it is my understanding that the Government’s intention is still to hold a referendum in this space before the next election.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2023-04-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:51:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2023-04-19