Councils in North call for votes for Irish citizens in Presidential election

TWO COUNCILS in the North have passed motions supporting the extension of voting rights in elections for President of Ireland to be extended to all Irish citizens, including the north-eastern six counties of Ireland.

This week, Derry City & Strabane District Council and Mid Ulster Council voted to support the recommendation made by the Constitutional Convention to extend the right to vote in the Presidential election in two years’ time.

The Sinn Féin Group Leader on Mid Ulster Council, Councillor Ronan McGinley, said:

“There is a mixture of deep disappointment and anger among the broad nationalist family in the north at the decision of the Taoiseach not to hold a referendum to change the Constitution to allow the people of the North and the Irish Diaspora the opportunity to vote for our president in the 2018 election.

“A lot of people are looking forward to the day that they will be able to vote for their President.

“The Taoiseach’s decision not to hold a referendum is unacceptable,” he said.

“The people of the North and the Irish Diaspora are part of this nation. They should be included in it and not excluded as the Taoiseach is trying to do with this decision.”

He urged “the broad nationalist community” to unite and lobby the Taoiseach to reverse his decision.