Good morning everyone - the big day is finally here, and our conference on citizenship, emigrants and voting rights post-Brexit is about to get underway at 8.30am.
@VICAcampaign@Clinton_InstUCD@EPICMuseumCHQ
An important & timely intervention from @VotingRightsIE at Leinster House today.
Let this be the last presidential election where Irish citizens in the North & abroad are denied the right to vote.
Sponsored by @frances_black there was a clear appetite to advance this issue.
Agree @LarryPDonnelly Billy Cantwell writes persuasively from Sydney. “The Aussies put a six-year limit on this but it can be renewed. Britain has a 15-year limit. It is designed to keep citizens connected and it works.” For Irish citizens abroad not already on the electoral role some special senator seats shd be created for election.
“At embassies and consulates around the planet, Australians gather on election day to vote. It’s a point of connection. The overseas voters feel included, not forgotten. They are not emigrants. They are “Aussies abroad”. - Billy Cantwell.
What about our Irish abroad?
"What does Ireland look like when the entirety of its citizens become empowered to refashion its future? Granting the vote to Irish emigrants would bring us one step closer to answering this important question."
Full paper from @MauriceJCasey below: https://t.co/YAnCBWtxZR
Honoured to be part of a @GlobalIrish team dedicated to a powerful cause, extending voting rights in our presidential elections to all of our citizens worldwide. #GlobalGreening#GlobalIreland
Announcement: We could not be happier to introduce our new Vice-Chair @ciarancannon
Chairperson @SenBillyLawless stated, "Ciarán Canon's Vice Chairmanship of https://t.co/tIOg1NgUca gives the movement a very positive boost of being successful in next years referendum"
"That’s why I’m honoured to be appointed vice-chair of the campaign for presidential voting rights for all Irish citizens and I look forward to working with our other vice-chair Emma DeSouza, chairperson Billy Lawless and all of our campaign team in ensuring a successful outcome”
"The foreign affairs minister said Ireland would be stronger for the inclusion of emigrants in presidential elections, and that the government would work to provide the electorate with as much information as possible before casting their vote."
https://t.co/dkRoSyKOZH
"Former president of the Ulster Farmers' Union and former member of the Irish Seanad Ian Marshall said voting rights for people in Northern Ireland was about bringing the Republic in line with other countries which give rights to its citizens abroad."
https://t.co/U7dUlkmHm5
More than 50% of Irish people support the idea of allowing Irish citizens living outside the state to vote in the 2025 presidential election
#irishemigrants#irish#irishgovernment
https://t.co/HaImMs4jTa