Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is facing an internal Fine Gael backlash over plans to extend voting rights in presidential elections to the diaspora. An increasing number of Fine Gael Cabinet ministers are understood to be opposed to extending voting rights to all Irish citizens over concerns about the impact it would have on elections. Agriculture Minister Michael Creed raised his objection to the referendum directly with the Taoiseach at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting. Other ministers who did not want to be named said they privately agreed with Mr Creed but did not speak up at the meeting. “It is a nonsense idea based on something Enda Kenny announced when he was on a visit to America,” a Cabinet minister said.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy was initially tasked with bringing a memo on the referendum to Cabinet.
However, Mr Murphy insisted on sharing responsibility for the referendum with Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney.
The growing resistance to the referendum within Fine Gael emerged despite the Cabinet agreeing to delay the controversial vote until October.
Full Article: Ministers oppose extending presidential vote to diaspora – Independent.ie.