Ireland holds the unenviable position of being the only country in Europe which does not grant voting rights to its emigrants. And following yesterday's decision by the Government not to proceed with proposals which would allow them to elect three members of the Seanad, this discrimination is likely to continue into the lifetime of the next government. At a time when President Robinson and Government Ministers "have spoken of embracing a broader concept of Irishness in order to address some of the difficulties, inherent in the Northern Ireland situation, it is an indictment of the Dail parties that they cannot treat our emigrants more generously.
The demand by five emigrant groups was for normal Dail voting rights, rather than for a handful of, Seanad seats in a relatively toothless chamber. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin, was advised by these groups, on publication of his proposals' last March, that the proposed scheme was unworkable, unwanted and a waste of public money. Of the 39 other submissions received, only eight were fully supportive.
There was disagreement in the Seanad when the proposals were debated. And a recommendation by the Dail Select Committee on Finance and General Affairs that the six Seanad University seats be abolished and the number of emigrant seats increased to at least five caused outrage to University representatives. In the face of this disagreement and confusion, the Minister and the Government have taken the easy option and referred the issue to the All Party Committee on the Constitution. They have done so however, in the context of Seanad reform and it is clear, that the Government does not envisage granting Dail voting rights to emigrants.
The concerns of Dail parties that a handful of emigrant votes in marginal constituencies could decide the composition of future governments is very real. Ireland is a special case because of our PR system with its multiple seat constituencies. But if we are to cherish all citizens equally and reach out to the largely untapped economic resource of the Irish diaspora, a beginning must be made. Allowing emigrants of twelve or twenty years standing to vote in the coming presidential election and in the November referendum on bail, would be, a considerable advance. It would allow for the creation of an emigrant voters register. It would address political concerns that foreign votes might overwhelm the domestic system. And it could provide for experimentation with computerised voting.
On the basis of the Minister's statement, it would seem the Government is still, looking for, an answer to the question of votes for emigrants within the context of Seanad representation. Such a response does not answer the demands of those Irish citizens, living abroad, who wish to retain an involvement and interest in their homeland. The political parties should think again.