Irish American small business leaders in New York have been told by the publisher of the Irish Echo that by extending the franchise to the diaspora, the Irish Government could turbo-charge transatlantic relations.
Belfast native Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, addressing the April monthly virtual meeting of the Irish Business Organisation of New York, said the move would bring the Irish Government into line with the vast majority of global democracies which give their citizens abroad the vote.
"There is no more propitious time than right now for the Irish Government to deliver on its oft-promised but even-more-oft-delayed extension of the franchise to our global Irish family," he said. "Indeed, the Irish Government lags behind its European Union partners where at least 23 countries have regulations to allow their citizens abroad to vote. Globally, 108 countries offer some voting rights to citizens living abroad with France setting 11 seats aside in its National Assembly for its 1.7m citizens living abroad."
Extending the vote to the diaspora was recommended by the Irish Government's Citizens' Assembly on the Constitution in 2013 — and led to a swift promise to extend the franchise in Presidential elections to both the global diaspora and Irish citizens in the North of Ireland. Since then, successive governments have dragged their feet on the proposal — for fear, critics say, that the Irish diaspora votes would go to Sinn Féin.
Added Ó Muilleoir: "With seven million people in Ireland and 70 million in the diaspora, no country boasts a more consequential diaspora than Ireland. Ireland's debt to the diaspora in Irish America is immeasurable, the peace process alone bears that out. No country owes more to its 'exiled children' than Ireland and extending the franchise to the diaspora in Presidential elections would not just acknowledge that debt but usher in a new era of co-operation."
In January of this year, Irish Tánaiste Simon Harris unveiled a new plan by the Irish Government to engage the support of Irish America in its engagement with the new White House administration. At the time, the Irish Government revealed that it would be particularly targeting Irish Americans associated with the Republican Party in its outreach.
Widely regarded as the most dynamic business network in NYC, the IBO represents small business owners and company executives from all five boroughs and holds both in-person and virtual monthly meetings of its members.
