de Brun hits out at vote ban for Irish nationals

19 March, 2009

Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún has confirmed that the party have written to the Chief Electoral Officer Douglas Bain challenging legislation that excludes Irish citizens born in the North but living abroad from being able to vote in the European elections in June.

 

Documentation from the Electoral Office stipulates that in order for people from the North but currently living abroad to get on the electoral register that they must be British citizens.

 

Ms de Brún said:

 

“The Good Friday Agreement provides for the legal right of people in the North to have their rights as Irish citizens fully recognised.

 

“This means that there should be no barrier to Irish citizens from the North from exercising their democratic right.

 

“Yet documentation from the Electoral Office specifically discriminates against Irish citizens born in the North by denying them the right to apply to get on the electoral register and vote if they are living abroad; while extending this option only to British citizens.

 

“Sinn Féin have written to Douglas Bain expressing concern that Irish citizens born in the North but living abroad will lose the right to vote in the European elections in June.

 

“In recent weeks Sinn Fein have voiced serious concerns about the approach of the Electoral Office to ensuring that people who are entitled to vote are registered and particularly people being forced off the register by an overly bureaucratic and at times threatening approach.

 

“Any attempt to deny citizens, including Irish citizens born in the North, the right to vote must be rejected.  Discriminating against those in the North who choose Irish citizenship would turn the clock back 40 years and must not be allowed to happen.” ENDS