Sinn Féin has denied that its call for people in Northern Ireland to have the right to vote in Presidential Elections is about party political advantage. 

Yesterday at Leaders’ Question in Dáil Éireann, party President Mary Lou McDonald raised the issue, urging the Taoiseach to outline a “timeline” for the extension of the franchise. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Senator Conor Murphy said that the issue is “not about Sinn Féin”. 

“Undoubtedly, the majority of nationalism in the North vote for Sinn Féin,” he said. 

“But to be quite honest, this goes well beyond that; it is more than an issue of party political advantage. 

“This is an issue of rights.” 

Northern Ireland

Irish citizens in the North deserve the right to vote for the President — our Uachtarán. It was agreed in 2013 and has been promised by government after government. Last week, the Assembly backed it. Today, I raised it with the Taoiseach. No more delays. It’s time to honour the… pic.twitter.com/iks9KZp5Pt

— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) May 13, 2025

The former Stormont Minister noted that people in the North can already vote in University Seanad elections and many would love to have a say on who serves as the next President of Ireland as well. 

“We’re obviously facing a Presidential Election this October and, clearly, there’s not going to be sufficient work done to allow people the right to vote in the North in relation to that,” he said. 

“It’s not even in the Programme for Government. 

“So, the frustration around this has increased substantially north of the border.” 

Constitutional convention

Senator Murphy added that the issue has been on the agenda since the Constitutional Convention in 2013 recommended change. 

“The normal term of a President runs right through to 2032, you’d be talking nearly 20-years since the Constitutional Convention recommended this be done,” he said. 

“There was a vote in the Assembly just last week, that was passed by a significant majority of MLAs from across parties agreeing that they wanted to see this opportunity afforded to citizens north of the border. 

“And that’s very significant in itself.” 

Senator Murphy continued that the issue of the votes for the wider diaspora “needs to be looked at” as well, however, people living in Northern Ireland should be the priority. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that changing the franchise for Presidential Elections is a “complex issue” and "would require a referendum".

Main image: Split of the Áras and a ballot box. Pictures by: Alamy.com and RollingNews.ie.