Sir, – Myles Duffy (July 12th)questions whether or not those who do not pay tax ought to be allowed to vote. Aside from the fact that emigrants may pay tax related to properties at home that cannot be sold due to negative equity, surely the ability to vote is a question of citizenship rather than payment of tax? Many students, people on low incomes, senior citizens, et al, thankfully retain their right to vote regardless of whether or not they pay tax.
Of equal relevance to emigrants, the proposal to allow citizens the ability (we always had the right) to vote at embassies abroad does not go far enough. During the last presidential election and the last general election, I lived between Iraq and Jordan, neither of which has an Irish embassy. With recent closures, the possibilities for voting at embassies may get even fewer. We therefore must facilitate postal votes. If passports can be applied for and issued by post, I see no reason why postal votes cannot be dealt with securely. It is unacceptable that we cavalierly disenfranchise so many of our fellow citizens who care deeply how our country is governed and who wish to engage fully, in the spirit that voting is less a right than a duty. – Yours, etc,