Polish emigrants have their say, but Irish could only vote with their feet

Had Irish emigrants been entitled to vote, and if even a small fraction of them had exercised that right, undoubtedly they could have been the deciding factor in general elections here given the size of the country and the closeness of election results.

IN FEBRUARY 1995, President Mary Robinson addressed the Oireachtas on the theme ‘Cherishing the Irish Diaspora’. It was a well-crafted speech, though overly long.

Most of her audience did not like it or else were indifferent. In an uncharacteristically frank assessment, Bertie Ahern, then leader of the opposition, called it “a terribly boring speech and everyone in the Dáil nearly fell asleep”.