‘Ludicrous’, ‘Romantic’, ‘Undemocratic’, ‘Welcome’: Readers have their say on giving the diaspora a vote in Ireland

Should Irish citizens living abroad be allowed to vote in the next presidential election in 2025?

Justine McCarthy recently wrote about the Government’s plans to hold a civic forum to engage with Irish citizens abroad on plans to hold a referendum to allow them to vote in presidential elections.

We asked readers for their views on the subject. Here are a selection of the submissions.

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“I believe it would be deeply undemocratic for the diaspora to vote in Irish presidential elections as things stand. The president is not just a symbolic figurehead. The office-holder has many powers, primarily the referral of bills to the Supreme Court and the power to withhold dissolution of the Dáil from a taoiseach. These are powers that directly affect the lives of the people living in Ireland. If the franchise was extended to the diaspora, millions of people outside the country could determine who holds the office of president and this would be damaging to Ireland’s democracy and the democratic legitimacy of the president. A more appropriate form of inclusion for the diaspora would be to set aside a number of seats in the Seanad for election by the diaspora. This would give the diaspora an important voice in Ireland while not undermining the democratic legitimacy of any arm of the Oireachtas and would in many ways be of more benefit to the diaspora.” – Tomás Heneghan

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“Yes, I believe we should be allowed to vote. I am a 100 per cent Irish citizen and am entitled to a vote just like any other Irish citizen.” – Michael Madden, Massachusetts, USA

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“As an Irish citizen who has lived abroad for many years, I do not believe I and others in the same situation should ever be entitled to vote in any election/referendum on matters in Ireland.” – Ann Hannigan-Breen, Navarre, Spain

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“I have lived in the Canary Islands for 23 years, and am involved in local politics and work with foreign resident groups. I have generally found it odd that many foreign residents (UK for instance) who don’t have any ties, other than emotional, to their home country retain a right to vote in general elections there – but once there was a suggestion that we emigrants might be able to vote in the Irish presidential elections I felt a twinge of entitlement. After all, the president is the woman or man who represents us as a nation. She or he is the national figurehead, so to speak. Given that many of us who live abroad are generally proud of our nationality and often work in promoting it, it would be nice to feel involved in some way in the election of the international face and voice of Ireland. Either way, if there is a citizen’s assembly it would be a good idea to have a few members of the diaspora there too – I hope that would and could be arranged.” – Cliodna O’Flynn, Canary Islands, Spain

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“Living in Canada for 35 years, read the Irish papers and listen to Irish radio almost every day, still regularly visit, but no to the vote. We are not directly connected. Yes we care, yes we are (distantly) involved, but those living in Ireland have the most need to have the right fit. A middle-ground exception may be to give a vote to those citizens living elsewhere for up to a number of years after they have left, perhaps less than 10. Those not gone for long are more likely to return.” – Ed Brennan, Ontario, Canada

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“All Irish passport holders on the island should be allowed to vote.” – Anne McGlue, Belfast

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“The current rules are appropriate. Why are we always bowing to some mob?” – Geoffrey Robinson, Maryland, USA

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“Ludicrous and unjust is the situation prevailing at present. Yes, I can vote, by post, in Seanad elections, because I have a NUI university degree. I can also stand as a candidate for the Dáil, and get elected, but I can’t vote for myself!” – Ciarán Mac Guill, Paris, France

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“It’s a romantic notion that people that have left Ireland should somehow still be involved in the politics of Ireland. The people who have left have thrown their lot in with their new home. They are invested in the state they live in, romantic nostalgic notions of a country they lived in 20 years ago probably don’t reflect the current state of the country and it would be unfair to inflict these outdated notions on what Ireland should be, especially when they have no real day-to-day vested interest in the result.” – Gerard Ryan

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“As a one-time émigré to GB for work, it would have meant a lot in the 1980s and 90s to have been able to vote in all elections in Ireland. Northerners should be permitted to vote in presidential elections.” – Fintan Convery, Co Galway

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“I am based in Australia but increasingly spend long periods back in Ireland most years. I feel very connected to my homeland and having a say in Ireland’s head of state would mean a lot to me.” – Áine De Paor, New South Wales, Australia

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“I’ve previously lived in the UK for 11 years. My considered opinion is that if you are resident and a citizen you get the full set of votes. If resident, but not a citizen, a sub-set of votes should be available to you. And if you are not resident, none should be available. Voting is linked to the place you live, not the place you may go back to, or came from, or in some cases never lived or never will. If you want a vote in the presidential election or any other election, move to Ireland. Simple. In my view, some romantic notion of a right in this matter is just that. A notion. The rights of a local to select their representatives outweighs that of someone who doesn’t live in Ireland. Other opinions may differ but I suspect the votes will go my way.” – Patrick Falvey, Co Kerry

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“The Good Friday Agreement recognises ‘the birthright of all the people of Northern Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish or British, or both, as they may so choose, and accordingly confirm that their right to hold both British and Irish citizenship is accepted by both Governments’. Yet, even though I identify myself as Irish and therefore should be accepted by the Irish Government as an Irish citizen, I cannot vote for my president. Why is this still the case after almost 25 years?” – Tony Close, Co Antrim

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I have lived and worked in Spain for the past 14 years. I lived and worked in Ireland for 45 years before that. As an Irish citizen, I believe I have a right to vote in elections in Ireland because I was a taxpayer in Ireland for 27 years. I also have a responsibility as an Irish citizen. My responsibility is to share and enhance the society of Ireland by using my experience of living and working in another country to help influence the politics and policies of the Irish state. My good American friend got to vote for his president. Why should I not have a similar right? There are people in Ireland who have paid less than five years’ taxes, who were never even born there, who will have a right to vote. The French have two members of their parliament who are elected by their diaspora.” – John Keogh, Spain

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“As a dual citizen of Ireland and Canada, currently residing in Belfast, I fully endorse the right of Irish citizens abroad to vote. Citizenship is predicated on a number of fundamental rights, the most important of which is the right to vote. Canada grants voting rights to all of its citizens, at home and abroad, no matter how long they have lived outside of the country. My own experience is that I have always valued my Irish heritage and the special bond I have to Ireland. That is expressed in the citizenship that I applied for through my grandfather. I am proud to carry an Irish passport. On my very first visit to Ireland as an Irish citizen in 1978, at age 24, upon presentation of my passport, I was greeted by the immigration agent with the words: “Welcome home.” That is a moment that will stay with me forever. My ancestors left Ireland, not by choice, but by circumstances outside their control (my maternal grandparents left Ireland at the height of the Famine in 1847). I have participated in the life of Ireland abroad, celebrating its history, language, literature and culture. The diaspora is affected in a multitude of ways by decisions made in Dublin. Both Ireland and Canada have benefited enormously from their shared history and the contributions of its citizens. Ireland could do worse than to grant the sons and daughters of the proclamation the right to participate fully in the life of the nation.” – Miles Murphy, Belfast

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“I believe the diaspora is too large and it is us in the current Republic that would have to live with the results. We are a small nation, and the people who live here are expected to live with the consequences of our democratic decisions, and not the romantic whims of those who have chosen to live their lives elsewhere.” – Karl Cronin, Dublin

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“I moved from Dublin to the UK in 1986. I guess that you could say I was an economic migrant as my work prospects at that time in Dublin were not great. Since then I married Fiona, who is also from Dublin and initially moved to the UK to train as a midwife. We ended up settling near Edinburgh and now have three adult children who are all proud Irish citizens and passport holders. Our eldest daughter Aoife moved to Dublin six years ago to work for AIB, who offered her a job following graduation from Strathclyde University. Although we live in the UK, we have always regarded ourselves as Irish. In order to keep up with events in Ireland, we subscribe to The Irish Times and listen to Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). We would be very proud to have the opportunity to vote for candidates for president of Ireland. I believe that it would be a great gesture by Ireland to the Irish diaspora.” – Bryan Coyne, Edinburgh, Scotland

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“Having lived in Australia for 25 years – 1989-2014 – I can categorically say that overseas diaspora should have no say whatsoever in choosing our president. People who live overseas have chosen to do so for economic or family reasons, or mostly better lifestyles than people who remain here. They are not connected on the ground to exactly what’s happening here. They are not waiting in A & for 50 hours on a trolley to be admitted to hospital, or paying tax on everything except air. While I was in Australia, I was an Australian citizen and therefore voted in Australian elections. I would never expect to be allowed to vote in Irish elections. I’m very pro-voting and value my vote in its entirety. There are far too many people with Irish passports that would be eligible to vote for president. Unless they live with the pain of living here ... they should not gain any vote in our elections.” – Caroline Eyre, Co Dublin

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“People who do not live and participate in the day-to-day life of this state, pay taxes here, etc, should not have any voting rights here. It could seriously skew all types of decisions, taken as a collective, by the residents of this country.” – Kieran Morris, Co Carlow

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“Would love to be able to vote, lived here since 1996.” – Paul Staunton, Brussels, Belgium

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“I’ve never lived abroad personally but I know people who have done so. We are in our 30s, and the main reason they left was due to recessions and banks being too greedy. They deserve a vote so that a better future can be had for them here. That’s the power of voting. Otherwise, the grey vote keeps winning when it comes to affordable social housing, etc.” – Susan Sheehan, Co Cork

[ Councils must ensure ‘immigrants know about voting rights’ ]

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“Only those registered in Ireland should have a vote. If you don’t live in the state, then you don’t get a say in something that will impact those living in the state. You are welcome to come home to vote if registered, but there should be no voting at embassies, etc.” – Alan Conroy, Co Dublin

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“As a country with a history of emigration, it seems only logical for the Irish diaspora to be able to vote in Irish elections. I myself spent a number of years abroad before returning home to Ireland and would have appreciated the ability to vote at that time. Many young people move abroad to kick-start their careers before moving back home later in life and I believe they should have a say in what kind of country they will be returning to. I believe any Irish passport holder should be able to vote regardless of their location, even if they have no plans to return home.” – Eanna Crowe