Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader indicate whether he is aware of how the recommendations from the Constitutional Convention will be dealt with by the Government? Will there be a timescale involved? Will the Seanad have an opportunity to debate and, perhaps, put its weight behind some of these recommendations? The House could play a very important role in this regard.

There is one issue to which very keen consideration must be given. On many previous occasions the Seanad has discussed matters relating to the diaspora and the fact that there are 70 million people of Irish extraction throughout the world. Most of us believe that the Irish abroad should have some input into elections here. The understanding is that this may now happen in the context of presidential elections. This should be a very joyful occasion for the Irish in Britain and it should encourage unity and cohesion. There is, however, immense hurt among the members of the Irish community in Britain regarding the suggestion that if our citizens abroad are given a vote in presidential elections, that vote will be confined to those who emigrated in the past 15 years. One can imagine how divisive this could prove to be among the Irish in Britain. Imagine the position with regard to two people living next door to one another in some part of Britain, one of whom emigrated 14 years ago and the other who went 25, 30 or 50 years ago. One could state that a policy of apartheid is being introduced in respect of this matter. Those Irish people who have been living in Britain for a longer period must be given the same recognition as those who only emigrated in the past 15 years. They went during the most difficult of times and they often sent money back to their families in Ireland. The money to which I refer was often used to help in the running of small businesses. I do not know how much credence has been given to this recommendation but I am of the view that it does not give the correct recognition to those who emigrated from Ireland.

I request that the Leader pursue this matter with the Government as a matter of urgency. If possible, perhaps the recommendation in question could be discussed in the Seanad. I have in my possession a file of correspondence which is filled with people's expressions of hurt and stained with their tears. Those who wrote the correspondence in question are very disappointed by the fact that what I have outlined may actually prove to be the case.