The Labour Party has called for a Government campaign to inform the hundreds of thousands of non-nationals resident in Ireland of their right to vote in the forthcoming local and European elections.
There are almost 400,000 such people, or around 10 per cent of the population, currently living in Ireland. Many of them are entitled to take part in these elections. Dáil elections are open only to Irish citizens.
The Labour environment spokesman, Mr Eamon Gilmore TD said he is asking the Minister for the Environment, Martin Cullen, to launch a major campaign in advance of the to make people aware of the entitlement to vote and to ensure that the register for these elections was a comprehensive and accurate as possible.
"While, according to a reply I received to a written Dáil question to the Minister for the Environment, specific steps are planned to alert residents of existing EU states and the applicant countries of the right to vote in the European elections, no similar effort appears to be planned in regard to those who are entitled to be included in the electoral register for the purposes of the local elections only," Mr Gilmore said.
"Decisions taken by elected councillors can impact on those living in a local authority area, irrespective of where they may have been born, and every effort should be made to ensure that all who are entitled to vote are made aware of that fact," he added.
Mr Gilmore said his party will publish a leaflet aimed at alerting those born abroad of their entitlement to vote.