‘Unity planning should include northern voting rights’ - McGowan

If the Irish Government is serious about planning for Irish Unity, then it should begin by extending Presidential voting rights to citizens in the North, local Sinn Féin Councillor John McGowan has said.

Cllr. McGowan was speaking ahead of a discussion on the issue in Council this week.

He commented: “The Finance Minister in the south, Paschal Donohoe recently announced that his government will begin planning for Irish Unity and the impact it will have for public finances across the island.

“While that is obviously welcome, it is also necessary given the fact that the demand for constitutional change is growing every day. 

“However, if the Dublin Government is serious about Irish reunification, then it should take a similar approach to all aspects of preparing for constitutional change on this island, including by establishing a Citizen’s Assembly on Irish Unity.

“Holding a referendum on extending the right to vote in Presidential elections to people in the north and the diaspora is also a long-standing Irish government commitment and should now be actioned.

“I will be proposing a motion at this month’s full council meeting urging the Dublin government to do so and I hope that council supports that call because it is clear that the wider public wants to see some real leadership on this issue.”