Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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The group indicates that in England and Wales alone there are in excess of 400,000 Irish passport holders. The broader diaspora there is between 3 and 4 million. We do not know the figures for Scotland. Across the world the diaspora is probably between 40 and 60 million people.

In order for this committee to make a serious recommendation to the Parliament will each of the witnesses define his or her party's position on what constitutes citizenship? We will have to prepare a report that is very specific and need to know who we are talking about. Who does each party argue has the right to vote? How do they define citizenship? While the embassies could be used in Europe because there is, I think, one in each of the 28 member states it is more complicated for the diaspora who are scattered. It is well documented that we are very poorly represented by embassies and consulates in other countries, such as Denmark. How do we, on the one hand, enfranchise a diaspora that we deem Irish on the basis of citizenship but on the other hand, have a large diaspora whom the process cannot encompass? Do we then create a two-tier citizenship or are the benefits of citizenship to be unfairly distributed? It is not difficult in Europe and America where there are great numbers of Irish people but there are many also scattered throughout isolated parts of Africa. One finds Irish people all over the world. How do the witnesses define citizenship in order to allocate voting rights?

Do any of the witnesses agree that while the convention has looked at presidential elections - many speakers referred to it - it is really a cop-out with regard to what the European Commission said? The Commission is not talking about presidential elections; it is talking about general elections or national elections.