Madam, - The people in the recent referendum voted their belief that citizenship is not a mere accident of birth, but rather entails some organic links with the country and nation. In this light surely it is timely to again consider the moral obligation we owe to our distant cousins in the Irish community of Argentina.
It is calculated that over 45,000 people left their homelands in 19th century Ireland and made the long journey to Buenos Aires.
Large numbers came from the midlands, from Westmeath and Longford, though many other areas, especially Wexford and Cork, were strongly represented.
Most settled in the Argentinian countryside, where they worked as shepherds, farm labourers, teachers, maids, or in whatever jobs they could find to sustain themselves. Some became rich, others lived out quiet lives in the loneliness and isolation of the Argentinian pampa.
Both the emigrants and their descendents maintained pride in their ancestry and attempted, in difficult circumstances, to conserve elements of their Irish heritage and culture.
A large number of Irish-Argentinians were entitled to Irish citizenship until our laws in this regard were changed in 1986. Now, because most are one generation too far removed from Ireland (having Irish great-grandparents rather than grandparents) young Irish-Argentinians are no longer eligible for Irish citizenship. And because they are not EU citizens, nor have claimed refugee status, these young people are denied the opportunity to come and spend some time in the land of their ancestors.
Their petitions to be recognized as part of the Irish nation have been met with an extraordinary silence from successive governments here.
In fact, this governmental indifference could be said to be unconstitutional, since Article Two of Bunreacht na hÉireann states that "the Irish nation cherishes its special affinity with people of Irish ancestry living abroad who share its cultural identity and heritage". Unless this "special affinity" is empty verbiage, the Constitution surely demands that we give recognition to our bonds with the Irish of Argentina.
If it's too complicated to restore to them the full citizenship rights they enjoyed before 1986, why can't we allocate them special residency rights?
These people, many of whom are highly educated and fully bilingual in English and Spanish, deserve the chance to come and contribute to our country and renew the old ties between their families and Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
Dr DAVID BARNWELL, Anglesea House, Serpentine Avenue, Dublin 4.