Sir, –I am an Irish citizen “living abroad”, who is a joint Irish/British passport holder. Although I follow Irish affairs closely, I do not claim entitlement to vote in Irish elections. The fact that so many other countries have arrangements in which their citizens who have emigrated can participate in “home” elections is no good reason why the Irish should, or must, follow suit.
In my extensive travels I have met Irish people from Israel to Iceland whose views swung between the mawkishly sentimental to the angrily aggrieved.
There is a large constituency involved, upwards of one million votes. There is a strong possibility that those who are working to mobilise that diaspora vote – and make no mistake this is happening – are doing so with one clear motive in mind, that being to swing a referendum on Irish unity.
Ireland could well find itself “united” by people who will not have to live with the consequences of their vote.
One of the main gripes of the civil rights movement in the late 1960s was to eradicate anomalies in the voting system. This could prove to be an anomaly too far. Or perhaps we might find one million unionists signing up to balance things up, or failing that, being swamped into a State they find anathema. Ireland should have the wisdom to leave well enough alone. – Yours, etc,
PADDY McEVOY,
Holywood,
Co Down.
Sir, – There is something rather hypocritical to praise people who return to Ireland to vote to impose an ethos on a country that they have emigrated from. I see nothing patriotic or noble in “flying back home” to vote for something that will not bother them as they depart again immediately from our shores to work and pay taxes in England, Australia and elsewhere. For me, those young people who stayed at home to live in this country are the ones to be praised for voting. Those young people who voted No in spite of that avalanche directed against their beliefs are the real heroes. – Yours, etc,
JAMES REDMOND,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – If they don’t have to live with the consequences, then emigrants should not be able to dictate to the people who live here the type of lifestyle a particular government may impose on us. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL ROONEY,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.
A chara, – Arguments against votes for Irish emigrants are weak.
One may feel that it is unfair to have representation without taxation, yet America, to which we attribute the slogan “No taxation without representation”, thinks very differently. The reality is that American citizens overseas are only required to file tax returns and only income above a generous threshold is taxed.
One may also worry about the emigrant vote diluting that of Irish residents. This is another red herring. As we see again from Washington, Brussels and Dublin, for those with the means to lobby government, voting is the least effective way to gain political influence. – Is mise,
EOIN Ó COLGAIN,
Port Jefferson,
New York.
Sir, – I agree with MaeveO'Brien (June 2) that emigrants have much to offer their native land. If they want a vote here they could offer a report of their worldwide income annually and, if above a certain threshold of income, payment to a taxation collector-general.
Citizens of the United States living and working abroad are familiar with the system already. – Yours, etc,
ULTAN Ó BROIN,
Dublin 8.