Voting rights and Irish people living abroad

Sir, – As we begin the annual celebration of all things Irish, and as our politicians scatter to the four corners of the globe to recognise the importance of Irishness abroad and the wonderfully disproportionate role that the Irish diaspora plays on the world stage, let us take a moment to remember those Irish citizens abroad who, unlike their fellow expatriates from most other countries, are completely disenfranchised by their own country.

I contrast this situation with that of France, my adopted home, where French citizens living abroad enjoy full voting rights in presidential and parliamentary elections. Furthermore, France even has a number of dedicated constituencies, formed to give parliamentary representation to French overseas citizens.

Indeed, the only time in recent memory the Irish abroad seemed to matter electorally was when we were encouraged to “come home to vote” on referendums when the government felt it needed the votes of the Irish abroad to carry the day (even if many of us shouldn’t have still been on the electoral register, but that’s another story). If Ireland wishes to keep her citizens abroad engaged in Ireland, interested in her future and “wearing the green jersey”, the least that can be done is to give us a vote. – Yours, etc,

CONOR MOONEY,

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