Issued : Wednesday 16 March, 2011

Extending the Vote to Emigrants is Welcome Initiative

This year St. Patrick’s Day will have added significance as so many thousands have emigrated due to the economic crisis in this country. There are very few families and communities that have not been touched by the impact of emigration in the last few years. Over 60,000 people left Ireland in each of the last two years and that number is expected to almost double this year.

According to Labour Party Councillor, Gearóid Buckley, the inclusion in the new programme for government of a commitment to examine the possibility of giving Irish citizens living abroad the right to vote in presidential elections is an important first step toward creating and maintaining a connection with these people.

Cllr. Buckley said, ‘As someone who has twice brought a motion to Bandon Town Council calling for the vote to be extended to citizens living abroad, I welcome this initiative by the new Government. As a young person and as a former President of CIT Students’ Union, I am acutely aware of the devastation caused by emigration.

‘Many of my own friends from Bandon have already left these shores in search of better work opportunities. Every weekend there seems to be another going away party. Rural communities are again facing the prospect of de-population.

‘This year a number of my friends have already taken part in St. Patrick’s Day parades as far away as Canada last weekend – something they would never have done here at home. They are doing this abroad because they are proud to be Irish and being involved in such things helps them to feel connected to Ireland.

‘Communities right across West Cork are now witnessing at first hand the great social crisis that has been caused by the economic mismanagement of our country. This forced exile of our young people does not mean we can forget about them. We have to change our thinking and our approach to emigration.

‘This country has an obligation to these people and every effort must be made to include them in the process of planning for the future. Whether they pay tax here or not is largely irrelevant. This is their homeland; they are stakeholders in our society and we must maintain that connection with them. We cannot afford to turn our backs on them and allow the “brain-drain” to run its course.

‘This country did not educate these young people simply for export. We must make every effort to retain their interest in the future of Ireland. Over many dark decades, the remittance of Irish emigrates kept this country afloat. In the years ahead, Ireland will be looking to this new generation of emigrants for ideas, innovations and investments to help us out of this crisis.

‘If we extend the vote to our emigrants we will be extending the hand of solidarity and every Irish citizen, no matter where he or she resides, will have an ownership in the shared aims of our society. It will keep the door open for their return and it will create an incentive for them to re-invest their time and money in Ireland in the years to come.

‘The success of www.ballotbox.ie in the recent General Election highlights that people living abroad want to be involved and are extremely well informed about domestic politics. Indeed, the www.ballotbox.ie count for Cork South-West would indicate that the same three TDs would have been elected if the votes had actually been counted.

‘It is time for our exiles to be counted. They did not cause the banking and financial crisis, yet they and their families are paying a big price for it. They should have a say in the future direction of their country. If developed and developing countries all across the world can manage to afford this right to their citizens, then Ireland should too.

‘While there will have to be parameters put in place, extending the vote in Presidential Elections is a simple but concrete measure that sets out a clear message to all – this is “One Ireland” and everyone who leaves will be welcome back.’