TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has officially confirmed a date for a referendum on extending the franchise at Presidential Elections to Irish citizens living abroad.
The Irish PM announced during Leader’s Questions in the Dáil this afternoon that a national vote on the issue will go ahead sometime in June 2019.
He also confirmed a referendum on Ireland’s Eighth Amendment regarding abortion rights for May or June next year, as well as further referendums on blasphemy and a ‘woman’s life within the home’ for October 2018.
The full timetable for Ireland’s upcoming referendums is as follows:
- Referendum on the Eighth amendment – May or June 2018;
- Referendums on Blasphemy (Article 40.6.1) and “Woman's life within the home” (Article 41.2.1) – October 2018;
- Plebiscite on directly elected executive mayors – October 2018;
- Referendums on Divorce, Extending the Franchise at Presidential Elections to Irish Citizens Resident outside the State, and Reducing the voting age to 16, – June 2019.
Each referendum is subject to passage of Bills by the Houses of the Oireachtas and formal confirmation of the polling date.
The Taoiseach said: “Any amendment to our Constitution requires careful consideration by the people.
“They should be given ample time to consider the issues and to take part in well-informed public debate.
“Setting a timetable for the referendums to be held over the next two years will allow all involved in campaigning on the issues to plan ahead and to facilitate that public debate.”
