Emigrant vote plan is an insult to Constitution

THE people out of sight these days are those in direct provision. Many would no doubt like to try to make a contribution to Irish society.

Our Taoiseach (pictured with US President Donald Trump) saw no contradiction between making his plea to Trump that something be done for Irish emigrants and his silence on those immigrants to our own fair land who also want to make a better life for themselves.

Enda Kenny knows Trump will do nothing for Irish emigrants. This could explain his announcement that his Government will legislate for a referendum to allow emigrants to vote in presidential elections – it is nothing more than the politics of symbolism.

In 2013, Kenny declared: ‘My book is the Constitution.’ He seems to have a curious attitude to it, though. First, there is no need for a referendum on this issue.

If the Government wants to give emigrants a vote, they can simply legislate for it. Second, the Constitution is a sacred document and should be treated accordingly.

Since Fine Gael came to power, it has had an à la carte attitude to the Constitution, picking and choosing referendums on a whim. Now we have this proposal to give emigrants the vote in presidential elections, while ignoring the question of whether they should have votes in Dáil or Seanad elections. This is treating the Constitution with contempt, and should be seen as such.