A CORK TD has put forward a proposal that would allow Irish citizens who are on holidays abroad to vote in elections.

Currently, only Irish diplomats (and their spouse) who live abroad, gardaí, and members of the Defence Forces are eligible for postal votes.

This can also apply in cases where a citizen cannot vote as they are full-time students living away from home, have an illness or disability, are in prison as the result of a court order, or if they cannot visit the polling station due to their occupation.

However, Fine Gael’s David Stanton has proposed a ‘small but significant’ amendment to the Electoral Act 1997 that would allow people who are on holidays to apply for a vote.

“The people affected by this are people living and working in Ireland, people who are directly impacted by the outcome of an election or of a referendum,” he said, “I regularly meet constituents in the run up to elections or referendums who will be on holidays on the date of the vote.”

The Taoiseach indicated earlier this year that the Junior Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan will examine whether Irish emigrants should be allowed to vote in presidential elections.

It was previously recommend by the Constitutional Convention.

Flanagan: ‘Our commitment to Irish abroad remains strong’ >

Opinion: What can the new diaspora minister do for the Irish abroad? >