Updated / Monday, 1 Mar 2021
13:27
Siom Coveney said the Government would work to provide the electorate with as much information as possible before casting their vote
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has reiterated the Government s commitment to holding a referendum to extend voting rights in future presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside the State.
Mr Coveney said Ireland would be stronger for the inclusion of emigrants in presidential elections, and that the Government would work to provide the electorate with as much information as possible before casting their vote.
He made the comments at a digital conference by VotingRights.ie today discussing Irish citizenship, emigrants and voting rights post-Brexit.
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Protests were thuggery and an absolute disgrace
Updated / Sunday, 28 Feb 2021
17:38
Scenes from Dublin city centre yesterday
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said while people have a right to protest, yesterday s protests in Dublin city centre were not legitimate.
Speaking on RTÉ s The Week In Politics, Mr Coveney said virus restrictions have caused a lot of angst, but what gardaí had to deal with yesterday was thuggery . Yesterday wasn t legitimate protest. It was people who were intent on thuggery, and violence and intimidation of the guards and the State. When someone is firing a rocket or firework from a few metres away from guards, that is not appropriate and I hope the courts deal with it as quickly as possible, he said.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has said more of those who took part in Saturdayâs âillegal gathering which turned into a riotâ in Dublin city centre will face legal sanctions and warned anyone considering getting involved in such events in the future that they will face âconsequencesâ for doing so.
Ms McEntee also accepted there was no evidence that members of what had been dubbed the âfar-leftâ were involved in the violence, and she outlined the extent of the injuries suffered by Garda members during the violence.
Three gardaà were injured in clashes after hundreds of people gathered in Dublin city centre to protest against Covid-19 restrictions on Saturday. One garda needed hospital treatment.