It’s local, even from abroad
This excited online fora. Some said the diaspora would rise above “parish pump” politics and vote for politicians who would deliver for Ireland, rather than for politicians mired in minor constituency issues.
I surveyed some of my fellow Irish immigrants in England, Spain, Australia, and America. There was agreement: Irish governments of the past 20 years have consisted of local politicians making a mess of the national job. We spoke about the more effective political structures within our new countries and whether or not they could be applied in Ireland.
We talked about the issues in our lives that are impacted upon by the Irish government: funding for our local immigrant support centres; flights in and out of Ireland; the focus of the Government on keeping a stake in Aer Lingus; the televising of GAA games; visas for future emigrants leaving Ireland; the right to vote in elections in Ireland; Irish citizenship for our spouses.
The conversation turned to who would represent us if Bunreacht na hÉireann was amended to create Dáil constituencies for the diaspora. Who is the most effective candidate to get the funding for the immigration centres? Who will ensure that Aer Lingus continues transatlantic flights? Why doesn’t the Department of Foreign Affairs establish a consulate office in my city?
The calculations began: Fine Gael will be the largest party for the foreseeable future; it is conceivable that Sinn Féin could lead a coalition within 10 years and Sinn Féin always talks about the diaspora; independent candidates know how to leverage the Government to squeeze the most to bring favours back to the constituency. We started to sound more like ourselves.
So the diaspora wants better for Ireland. But the diaspora might want to begin on his new doorstep, because, as one of the most successful sons of the diaspora, Tip O’Neill, said, “all politics is local”.
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