A chara, – Your news report on the planned extension of voting rights to Irish passport holders abroad is the latest twist in a plot which risks undermining Irish democracy by opening the electoral pool to the massive Irish diaspora (Shauna Bowers, “Diaspora group calls for immediate change to voting rights for Irish emigrants”, News, April 30th).
The latest figures show an estimated three million Irish passport holders abroad, a subset of the more than 70 million which claim Irish ancestry. When compared to our home population of five million, it becomes plausible to win electoral office without setting foot in the country.
Ireland’s restrictive voting system is a necessary measure to protect the integrity of its democracy, especially as any extension of the vote to Irish Americans is likely to disproportionately advantage republican candidates.
While our diaspora has been the lynchpin of both our diplomacy and economy, especially via the US connection, the way to fostering closer ties should not come at the cost of disenfranchising Irish voters at home. – Yours, etc,
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CONOR MacNAMARA,
London.
