IPRT seeks legal changes to allow prisoners to vote

The Irish Penal Reform Trust has called for urgent changes to Irish electoral law to allow prisoners to vote in all future elections.

The call follows a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights yesterday in the case of a British prisoner who was banned from voting.

The court ruled that voting was a right, not a privilege.

At present, there is no law barring Irish prisoners from voting, but no mechanisms have been put in place to allow them to do so.

IPRT spokesman Rick Lines said the Government should amend electoral laws to rectify the situation.