Sir, - The May 22nd referenda represent the most important ballot by the people of the island of Ireland in almost seventy years. In deciding on Ireland's future, the electorates, both North and South, hopefully will start the process of healing historic divisions. Those referenda concern an agreement that promotes democratic consent, equality, justice, birthright and a sense of Irishness and Britishness over territorial status. Unfortunately, the vote will not be representative of all the people of Ireland, since non-residents from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are excluded from voting. The Irish Government's continued denial of voting rights to Irish-born citizens resident abroad is particularly outrageous on this occasion, since the referendum in the Republic proposes to alter the Irish Constitution - the document that defines our national identity.
Those represented by that Constitution - and that includes Irish-born citizens resident abroad - should have a say in how it is altered. For the Constitution does not discriminate between those resident at home and those resident abroad. In fact, under the section on "Fundamental Rights," it holds all citizens as "equal before the law." In contrast to their counterparts in the South, non-residents from Northern Ireland have the right to vote in British and European elections for 20 years after they become non-resident. However, that right has not been extended to them on this historic occasion, and they are being excluded from voting in the referendum in Northern Ireland.
Directly or indirectly, the "Troubles" have significantly contributed to emigration from Northern Ireland. Surely it is immoral to deny those emigrants a say in the agreement that might help to solve the conflict in their homeland? I sincerely hope that the Republic of Ireland's undemocratic electoral system was not the inspiration for denying non-residents from Northern Ireland a vote in their referendum. - Yours, etc., Andrew Doyle,
Campaign Co-ordinator, Irish Emigrant Vote, Campaign, New Jersey, USA