One argument used against emigrant voting rights is the misconception that the Irish lose interest in domestic politics when we leave.
Michael Ryan is an Irish emigrant living in the UK, and he is running as an independent candidate in the Irish General Election. He left the country 15 years ago and has been travelling back to Ireland every weekend for the last three years.
Having lived abroad all his working life he shares the belief that ‘the Irish Diaspora needs a voice in Irish politics in order to promote their greater involvement in helping Ireland through its current crisis’.
Michael has five key objectives in his manifesto:
Referendum to determine an appropriate strategy to tackle the Financial Crisis
Reduce the number of TDs by 25%
Make Dail pensions only payable at retirement age
Encourage emigrants to take an active part in Ireland’s future by giving them the vote
Create a national volunteering scheme that enables people to improve Ireland’s fortunes
His candidacy is a timely reminder that Irish emigrants are keen to reconnect with Irish politics, and it reinforces the message that the diaspora is a willing and able part of the Irish nation.
Here’s his detailed Election Manifesto and if you’re in the Dublin Mid-West constituency, or simply interested in what he has to say, you should have a read.
Well done to Michael for running and we wish him well on election day.
Out of public gaze it looks like a sell-off of our forestry assets is being manouevered into place, and it’s happening without discussion – public opinion not invited.
Colm McCarthy’s 2009 An Bord Snip Nua report suggested that the state ‘review the operations of Coillte with a view to realising optimal return through rationalisation, asset disposal and, possibly, privatisation’.
Coillte confusingly already considers itself a private limited company despite the fact that the European Court of Justice in Case C-339/00 determined that it is a public enterprise wholly owned and controlled by the State.
A key step in the process appears to be the ITT (31/1/2011) seeking an economic evaluation of the public goods provided by the forest estate. The closing date for submission is 18/2/2011.
SF were quick to pick up on the threat last year, and the Labour Party and FG have subsequently ruled out the possible privatisation of the state forestry company.
Despite the political statements you can’t help feeling there’s no smoke without fire, and hopefully the politicians won’t need to be reminded of their (honourably patriotic) stance after the general election.
The Woodland League have been tracking this for quite a while and are running a petition to demonstrate public support against a sell-off. In their own words they are ‘dedicated to restoring the relationship between people and their native woodlands’.
You can sign the petition here (or on the right) and I would urge you to do so – it might be public opinion that provides the last bastion of defence.
The time is right for a new debate on voting rights for Irish citizens abroad.
We’ve launched a petition to be submitted to the Irish government, and if you support the principle of emigrant voting rights you can sign the PETITION HERE.
These European countries already allow expat voting in various forms in general elections: Austria Belgium Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Italy Luxembourg Spain Netherlands Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom
And in total 115 countries, including nearly all developed nations, have recognised the benefits in ensuring their emigrants remain enfranchised by giving them some form of elected political representation.
THOUGHTS ON THE IRISH PERSPECTIVE
We are in a new era of mass emigration
Modern communication systems allow citizens abroad to keep up to date
Most emigrants currently leaving envisage returning to Ireland in the future
Recent EU research shows that young Irish have a higher than average interest in politics
Ireland is looking for new ways to engage with its diaspora
Irelands emigrants invariably refer to Ireland as home
We can either cherish the bond, or not!
A healthy diaspora relationship relies on both mutual benefit and mutual responsibility
This is the 21st century and our highly educated people represent a valuable investment built up over the last 20 years or so. Are we going to close the door behind them and make the same mistakes as the past, or are we going to recognise the mutual potential that enfranchisement offers. If we can accept the economic input that the IMF brings to the table surely we can place the same or greater value on Irelands most important assets, our people.
I’m sure there are many other considerations and feel free to leave a comment. The main objective now however is to gather support and get the issue onto the government agenda. How voting rights can be implemented in a way that is fair can be identified in a review process. Structure and restrictions can be determined once the basic principle is accepted.
When you sign THE PETITION you are supporting a very simple request :
‘I believe in the principle of voting rights for Irish emigrants and I request that the Irish government identify and implement a fair system of voting rights for Irish citizens abroad.’
CONSOLIDATING OUR EFFORTS If you’re part of an organisation or an individual with a measure of influence who also believes in the principle of voting rights for emigrant Irish please get in touch. It would make sense to combine our efforts so that any submission to government authorities can be timed in a way to give weight to that submission.
We’ll add details and links here to any parties that would like to collaborate. If we get enough support we’ll open up a forum on diaspora.ie to make exchange of information easier.
Now, let’s see what we can achieve!
UPDATES:
Ballotbox.ie is a new site where Irish emigrants who are not allowed to vote in the forthcoming General Election can cast a symbolic ballot. I’ll write more about this in the coming weeks.
A number of groups and individuals have also been communicating on this issue recently, and I anticipate this will lead to a consolidated strategy in the coming weeks / months. I’ll post more as developments occur.
In the meantime here’s some welcome thoughts from Simon Coveney FG TD, Cork South Central:
Extracts from a letter by Alan Hennessy (Co.Cork) and Terrance O’Dwyer (New York) to Minister O’Cuiv:
National Famine Memorial Day : 16th May 2010.
Dear Madame Secretary,
We are an Irishman (Mr. Hennessey) and an Irish-American (O’Dwyer) who are concerned over the seeming lack of awareness of the upcoming National Famine Memorial Day.
Mr. O’Dwyer did not know of the 2009 Commemoration, but learned off through Mr. Hennessey, and together we have discovered that many–if not most people of Irish descent are simply unaware that May 16th is a day of remembrance in Ireland.
In an attempt to increase awareness among the Irish Internet community, we have started a National Famine Memorial Day page on the website Facebook. That said, our expectations are not high – we would consider our efforts to be extraordinarily successful were we to attract 1000 people to our group.
We recognize this period is busy for you and the Committee. Nevertheless, we respectfully ask that the committee issue a statement asking all Irish people outside of Ireland to pause for just 60 seconds at noontime [local time] on May 16 as a gesture of remembrance of the victims of An Gorta Mór.
Our common objective is simple: to increase awareness of National Famine Memorial Day.
Yours faithfully ,
Alan Hennessy, Member of the Irish Academy of Public Relations and Communications Cork.
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