Irish Iraqis travel overseas to vote for the first time in their lives

"I CAME because I have never had a chance to vote in my life. This is a big opportunity for Iraqis," said Khalid Ibrahim, spokesman for the Iraqi Human Rights Organisation in Ireland after he had flown from Dublin to Glasgow to vote yesterday.

Mr Ibrahim, 39, who is originally from Ammarah City in southern Iraq, left his homeland in 1991 to move to Moscow, but has lived in Dublin for the past 10 years.

Asked how he thought the people of Iraq would respond to Sunday's election, Mr Ibrahim said: "I think more than 70% of Iraqis will go to the polls.