There are many aspects of the restricted voting franchise for President of Ireland which are frustrating. A constitutional convention in November 2013 recommended that citizens outside the State should have the right to vote in presidential elections. But there was no change in government policy as a result of this. In March 2017, then Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced in Philadelphia that there would be a referendum on extending the right to vote in presidential elections to Irish citizens resident in both Northern Ireland and abroad. But those of us living outside the 26 counties were merely able to watch the 2018 presidential election as bystanders, not as active participants in the electoral process.
We are now rapidly approaching the 2025 presidential election and yet again as Irish citizens, we can stand for election to the office of President but cannot vote, unless we happen to live in the Republic itself. Irish citizens continue to be disenfranchised because of our geographic location, despite our status as citizens. Participating in the democratic process within a country, is a crucial aspect of citizenship. Many other countries allow their citizens living outside the State to vote in presidential elections. This includes France, the USA, Argentina, Austria, Chile, Columbia, the Czech Republic, Finland and Indonesia.
We live in a turbulent time with seemingly ever greater geopolitical instability. Global networks are increasingly important to mitigate the risks and uncertainty which arise from this. The Irish Government’s own report Global Ireland: Ireland’s Diaspora Strategy 2020-2025 sets out in detail the crucial role which Irish citizens and their descendants living outside of the State play. They provide connections and help to amplify the voice of Ireland around the world. But unfortunately the Irish Government does not give these people a voice in choosing the Head of State.
This is not just about idealism and allowing all Irish citizens to vote for our president. There is a hardheaded rationale for making this happen. Giving the vote for presidential elections to every Irish citizen, regardless of their place of residence, would send a strong message that we are valued and that our citizenship is equal to those who live in the Irish Republic.
Whether it is Irish citizens resident in what is now Northern Ireland, or elsewhere outside the State, we can and do make a contribution to the country’s success. Every citizen is in some way an ambassador for Ireland and we should not be taken for granted. We help to promote the country around the world. Our voice can and does have an impact on how other countries interact with Ireland. Providing these citizens with a presidential vote is a small investment which will help to nurture and maintain priceless and deeply meaningful connections across the globe.
Ireland is an island whose people have for centuries travelled to all parts of the world to seek new beginnings and success. These citizens are people who can bring success back to Ireland’s shores in a tangible way.
To take just one example look at how Ireland is able to arrange a series of events each year in Washington DC to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. We know that President Trump does not like the European Union, as he regularly states this opinion. His Vice President JD Vance also has a less than warm view of Europe. However both of them welcomed Irish leaders to their official residences to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Many Irish Americans support Trump. The days when all of the Irish community in America were presumed to be Democrats are over, if it was ever true. Political power is exercised not solely on the basis of idealism but also through the prism of pragmatism. The fact that Ireland has so many vocal and passionate supporters in the USA, including Irish citizens, helps the Irish Government to be heard and supported on issues such as the Good Friday Agreement and Brexit. There will be challenging times ahead and we need to be able to continue to leverage these crucial networks of the Irish diaspora. But these connections will only fully work and be effectively maintained if there is shown to be a two-way engagement. That means giving something to Irish citizens that has value and symbolises their important place within the nation.
The State should show its appreciation to these Irish citizens and others around the world by giving us the right to vote for our President. It is simply not right that there should be two levels of Irish citizenship. It makes for bad politics and bad business. All of us as Irish citizens should not only have the right to seek a nomination to run as a candidate for President. But more importantly we should have our say in who is going to represent us, all of us, on the global stage as our Head of State.
Ben Collins is the author of The Irish Unity Dividend and Irish Unity: Time to Prepare, both published by Luath Press.