Letters to the Editor: Votes abroad the price of green jersey

One reader writes in to say that if Ireland wishes to keep citizens abroad engaged, then the 'least that can be done is to give us a vote'

One reader says that the only time in recent memory that the Irish abroad have seemed to matter electorally was when they were encouraged to 'come home to vote'.

Let us take a moment to remember those Irish citizens abroad who, unlike their fellow expatriates from most other countries, are completely disenfranchised.

I contrast this situation with that of France, my adopted home, where French citizens living abroad enjoy full voting rights in presidential and parliamentary elections. Furthermore, France has a number of dedicated constituencies — formed to give parliamentary representation to French overseas citizens.

Indeed, the only time in recent memory the Irish abroad seemed to matter electorally was when we were encouraged to “come home to vote” on referendums when the Government felt it needed the votes of the Irish abroad to carry the day (even if many of us shouldn’t have still been on the electoral register, but that’s another story).

If Ireland wishes to keep her citizens abroad engaged in Ireland, interested in her future, and “wearing the green jersey”, the least that can be done is to give us a vote.

Conor Mooney

Rue Raffaelli, 75016 Paris

Echoes of famine in Israel’s war on Gaza

We should be mindful of our history and our humanitarian responsibilities. As war crimes — arguably amounting to genocide — are occurring in Gaza with tens of thousands of civilians, especially children, being killed by bombs, bullets, disease and starvation, we should recall our own famine and colonial occupation abuses. 

Our Government should be taking all possible measures to comply with its international obligations and humanitarian responsibilities to help end the suffering of the Palestinian people. 

Our leaders have failed to recognise the Palestinian state, and successive ministers for foreign affairs and ministers for transport have been approving transit of US military aircraft and aircraft on contract to the US military through Shannon airport and Irish airspace, while falsely claiming this is not a breach of Irish neutrality.

On March 14, US Marine Corps, KC130J, number 168068 arrived at Shannon, from Fort Worth Texas. Also, on March 14, US Air force C40 number 02-0202 from Washington refuelled at Shannon and flew on to Amman, Jordan. On March 12, Omni Air N828AX — on contract to the US military — landed at Shannon and flew on to Kuwait, refuelling at Shannon on its return trip to the US, on March 13. These are just some recent examples of Government failures to comply with international, humanitarian, and moral responsibilities.

Edward Horgan

Castletroy, Limerick

Feed Gaza now or Israel must answer

It is an unspeakable tragedy that during the Great Famine, hundreds of thousands starved to death while there was enough food in the country to feed everybody.  The people of Gaza are facing a similar situation. 

The UN has stated that everybody in Gaza is now hungry, many are severely malnourished, and children are dying of starvation. Yet there is an abundance of food on Gaza’s doorstep, with thousands of trucks laden with supplies at the border but deliberately blocked by the Israeli government. This is more than outrageous, it is murder in plain sight.

We’ve have had enough talking, we need strong and unambiguous action. All EU member states should give notice to Israel that they will expel their ambassadors unless land borders into Gaza are immediately opened, to allow in relief supplies under UN supervision and without restrictions, checks,  or other delays by Israel. 

Ireland should propose this at the EU and take the lead if necessary. This is not a time for subtle diplomacy or distraction with side issues, such as maritime shipments or parachutes. The EU needs to send a clear message to Israel: Open the borders now or face the consequences! History will surely condemn us otherwise.

Tom Butterly

Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin

Saluting stance of Irish musicians

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign salutes the Irish artists who withdrew en masse from the South by South West 2024 festival in Austin, Texas, due to its sponsorship from the US military and weapons manufacturers  — along with the festival’s complicity with the US and Israeli war machines committing genocide in Gaza.

We commend the principled solidarity with the Palestinian people these artists are showing, and we recognise turning down the opportunities such events present for musicians comes at a cost. We note the artists’ thoughtful statements of solidarity with Palestine and their refusal to participate in the culture-washing of militarism.

Many of the artists are signatories to our Irish Artists’ Pledge to Boycott Israel, along with over 2,050 peers. We have been extremely heartened by the outpouring of solidarity from the arts community in Ireland since Israel’s latest genocidal, months-long, attack on Gaza, and we encourage all artists to continue to show meaningful empathy and love to their sisters and brothers in Palestine, and to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement. Solidarity is a verb.

Unfortunately, Media Minister Catherine Martin didn’t follow their lead and withdraw from the festival, which would have reflected the will of the majority of Irish people who stand in solidarity with the Palestinians and reject Israel’s crimes.

Zoë Lawlor

Chairperson, Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Dublin 1

Saints and soldiers, as scholars vanish

What interesting times we live in. The Irish and British governments rightly celebrate our peace process. Meanwhile, they respond to Russia’s atrocities in Ukraine by declaring military victory the only thinkable prospect, and ramp up an ever-expanding arms race. 

Their tortuous reaction to Gaza refuses to confront the US’ obstinate supply of weapons for a calamitous Israeli "self-defence".

Can this be reconciled with the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, where both governments rejected “any use or threat of force”? Can it be squared with conscripting the "Three Patrons" as icons of Ireland’s "modernised" foreign and defence policies?

Patrick, kidnapped and enslaved as a youth, is trafficked to the White House. Brigid’s legacy is appropriated without reference to her selling her father’s jewelled sword to buy food for the poor.

 "Colmcille 1500" in our national museum fails to spell out how his exile, ordained or self-imposed, was in repentance for his involvement in the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne. A relic of his psalm book, weaponised centuries after his death, is jauntily presented as An Cathach/The Battler.

Have we become an island of saints and soldiers? Where have all the scholars gone?

John Maguire

Professor of Sociology Emeritus, UCC

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Varadkar must speak out on Gaza

On Wednesday in Washington, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that he believes that US president Joe Biden’s “heart is in the right place” with regard to Gaza.

He is talking about a man who has repeatedly refused to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and who funds and arms the Israeli war machine.

Mr Varadkar needs to speak truth to power regarding the horror in Gaza. Disappointingly, he appears instead to be more interested in abjectly flattering his host.

Fintan Lane

Lucan, Co Dublin

House homeless migrants at RDS

I watch with horror as the humanitarian crisis situation on Mount St escalates. It has now developed into a serious public health risk and it is only a matter of time before we have deaths.

This is a situation where Ireland is in clear breach of its international obligations towards those seeking asylum and may, as a result, be liable to sanction.

Less than 2km from the International Protection Office on Mount St lies the extensive grounds and facilities of the Royal Dublin Society (RDS), a long-standing institution and a registered charity.

Surely the Department of Integration and the RDS could work together to alleviate the dire conditions faced by the asylum seekers currently living on Mount St?

At the very least, they could be offered a covered area in which to pitch tents with access to toilets and washing facilities. This could be enhanced by the provision of catering, medical supports, and even dormitory accommodation.

I made this suggestion by email to the RDS on March 1, to the Department of Integration on March 3, and to both relevant ministers on March 4. To date, I have received no reply other than acknowledgments. Urgent action is required to address the unacceptable human cost of the current situation.

Francis Chance

Dublin 5