Government considers extending Dail vote to non-nationals

[kerrynorth]

According to Conor Lenihan page 6 of the Irish Times (sorry no link with the Irish Times) the Government is considering extending the vote in Dail elections to various categories of non-nationals, and not just EU nationals. The relevant Article of the Constitution is Article 16 and there is a provision in that Article that allows the Dail vote to be extended by law. Therefore, no referendum would be required. There is also mention of funding for political parties to recruit immigrant members.

[supamolli]

According to Conor Lenihan page 6 of the Irish Times (sorry no link with the Irish Times) the Government is considering extending the vote in Dail elections to various categories of non-nationals, and not just EU nationals. The relevant Article of the Constitution is Article 16 and there is a provision in that Article that allows the Dail vote to be extended by law. Therefore, no referendum would be required.

Well considering there are virtually no non-nationals in the State, nobody will notice.

Unless of course you mean foreign nationals which would be a completely different story.

[QuizMaster]

It makes perfect sense, after all they pay tax here and have to obey the laws here.
Giving immigrants the vote makes a lot more sense than giving emigrants the vote.

[locke]

I'm happy enough to give it to any permanent resident.

I'd be less keen on special funding for parties to recruit immigrant members. It reeks of positive discrimination.

[ivnryn]

Hmm, why would they want to do this, do they think immigrants are more likely to vote for the current government ? (or am I just being cynical?)

[KingKane]

We should look to introduce a status of residency that would allow for such voting but always address other issues too.

[Kf]

I'm happy enough to give it to any permanent resident.

I'd be less keen on special funding for parties to recruit immigrant members. It reeks of positive discrimination.

The state already provided considerable funding to political parties on womens inclusion.

[seanad voter]

Why do the politicial parties need even more funding from the taxpayers to recruit immigrant members ? If they want to recruit, let them recruit but don't ask the rest of us to pay for it.

[Eddiepops]

I'm for it. Disenfranchising that many tax payers is getting unconsciousable. And what better way to start getting those immigrants who have made the decision to stay here more permanently involved in Irish society instead of just the Irish economy.

[madura]

I often hear EU citizens who are resident here making the case for participation and influence on the shape of government on the basis of their tax contributions. I acknowledge that they have a point.

There are drawbacks, however. For one thing they tend to have a short-termist attitude and to focus on their own interests rather than the nation’s. For another they don’t have the same insight into your average Irish politician’s true colours as a local would, particularly when operating from behind a language barrier. (The same would be true of foreign nationals in any country, of course, and is not Ireland-specific.)

I suppose you could argue that extending the franchise would address that effectively by turning them into stakeholders…

"Does casting a vote help in terms of integration? My personal and political view is that extending voting rights does act as an effective way of integrating people," he [Mr. Lenihan] said.

From today's Irish Times.