Sir, – The excellent Irish Times/ARINS surveys on unification are, unfortunately, only of academic interest to me. As a British citizen permanently resident in the Republic, I won’t get a vote on it.
Throughout the UK, British and Irish citizens are treated equally on the electoral register. In the Republic, however, British citizens can vote in county council and Dáil elections but not for the president or in a referendum.
Since unification would need to be achieved by a constitutional amendment, the British in Ireland would be unable to participate in a Border poll.
If I felt strongly enough perhaps I should stand for parliament but as a “Brit” I can’t stand for election to the Dáil whereas the Irish can contest Dáil or Westminster seats (think Gerry Adams moving seamlessly from being an MP in west Belfast to a TD in Louth).
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“Parity of esteem” doesn’t seem to apply to us. – Is mise,
KENNETH HARPER,
Burtonport,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – Your report on a slim majority of people in the North identifying as Northern Irish (“Slight majority of people identify most strongly as being Northern Irish,” Home News, December 11th) brought back memories of a recent trip to Turkey.
As my wife and I meandered through a bazaar, a carpet seller, in an attempt to engage us, asked, “Where are you from?” When we replied Ireland, he asked, “British Irish or Irish Irish?”
Our reply of “Just Irish” seemed to mollify him. – Yours, etc,
ENDA CULLEN,
Armagh.