PD ban on non-EU citizens to be revoked

JUSTICE MINISTER Michael McDowell yesterday moved to change a Progressive Democrats rule banning non-EU citizens from party membership despite the fact that all immigrants are entitled to vote in local elections.

The ban, highlighted in a report by the Africa Solidarity Centre, is a major embarrassment for the party, which is the only political party in the State to adopt such a position.

Reacting to the revelation, a wide range of human rights and refugee groups criticised the PDs for double standards and hypocrisy.

Mr McDowell and party leader Mary Harney are responsible for immigration policy.

In addition to the PD stance, which is enshrined in the party’s constitution, yesterday’s report found that no political party has policies to encourage immigrants to get involved with politics.

“It’s becoming very clear that we live in a mono-cultural political system,” said the ASC’s Dr Bryan Fanning, co-author of the Positive Politics report.

“Whatever politicians say about racism, they certainly haven’t got their own houses in order.”

Mr Fanning said he found it unbelievable that the Progressive Democrats had such a policy in today’s multicultural society. “How can they really represent the community they serve and be sensitive or even understand the issues on the ground if whole sections of society are not represented?

“Politicians have a positive leadership role to play and there are potentially large numbers of people interested in politics and no one is reaching out to them.

“We want to see political parties reaching out to ethnic minorities and thinking of them as voters, party members and colleagues,” said Mr Fanning.

He said it was ironic that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Michael McDowell, was a member of the Progressive Democrats.

“They should move fast to amend their constitution. It’s a problem to be rectified,” he added.

Yesterday, Mr McDowell said he was concerned about the rule preventing non-EU nationals from becoming members of his party. No membership application from a non-EU citizen resident had ever been refused, he said.

“Our Rules Committee is currently engaged in rewriting the constitution, and our national executive is proposing to broaden membership and revoke this rule,” he said.

“We very much welcome the fact that Ireland has evolved into amulticultural society over the past decade and we have a duty to listen and pay attention to every diverse voice. In my view this rule is an anomaly and has no place in our party constitution,” he said.