Extending vote to millions of diaspora a logistics problem

There are concerns about the logistics of allowing three million Irish citizens around the world to vote.

It is after the Constitutional Convention recommended granting Irish emigrants the right to take part in Presidential elections.

The Convention will now draw up a proposal for the Government, which will have four months to respond.

The Constitutional Convention's Deputy Research Director Jane Suiter said it would be very difficult to organise elections.

"We did have some discussions about how you'd vote - would it be at embassies? It would have to be at civic offices, perhaps, in Northern Ireland," she said.

"Our own electoral register isn't perfect even here, in the 26 counties. It probably goes back to other discussions we've had in the Convention abut there not being an electoral commission, which was actually a promise in the programme for Government."