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VotingRights.ie has released the second edition of The Citizenship Papers, a landmark collection of essays and proposals on the future of Irish democracy. Bringing together voices from both sides of the border and around the world, the papers examine what it means to be a citizen in the 21st century—and why the right to vote shouldContinue reading “VotingRights.ie releases second edition of The Citizenship Papers”

The Irish News has published an article highlighting the ongoing controversy surrounding voting rights for non-resident Irish citizens. The piece details responses to the incoming Irish government’s omission of any commitment to voting rights for citizens living in Northern Ireland or abroad in its draft programme for government. It quotes Sinn Féin Stormont minister andContinue reading “Irish News highlights issue of voting rights’s omission from draft Programme for Government”

VotingRights.ie Executive Board Member Hilary Beirne is running for the Seanad as a candidate in the National University of Ireland (NUI) constituency. Hilary is a Roscommon native living in New York. An educator by profession, Hilary is also the founding Chairman of the NYC St Patrick’s Day Foundation, an honorary member of the famed “FightingContinue reading “Hilary Beirne runs for the Seanad”

VotingRights.ie executive committee member Emma DeSouza has an article on electoral reform in thejournal.ie. Prompted by the November general election’s turnout of 59.7%, the lowest in over a century, she asks, “with an average of four-in-10 registered voters opting out of political participation, how healthy is Ireland’s democracy?: Emma suggests several potential causes of the low turnout,Continue reading “Emma DeSouza proposes electoral reform to aid voter turnout”

VotingRights.ie cofounder Kevin Sullivan penned this tribute to our colleague and cofounder Billy Lawless. The text is below and at IrishCentral.com. Billy Lawless, a lonely voice for voting rights Billy Lawless, with full voice, called for voting rights for all Irish citizens. Kevin J. Sullivan @IrishCentral Nov 14, 2024 Billy Lawless, pictured here in 2018. RollingNews.ieContinue reading “A tribute to Billy Lawless”

It is with profound sadness that we note the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Billy Lawless, on November 8, 2024. Billy was a co-founder and Chair of VotingRights.ie, and his loss is deeply felt by all of us who knew and worked with him. Billy was a tireless champion for Irish emigrants andContinue reading “With sadness: Billy Lawless, RIP”

We’ve added a new paper to our collection of papers at CitizenshipPapers.ie. As you may know, the Citizenship Papers are a series of essays on the issue of citizenship and the role of Ireland’s emigrant community in the political life of the nation, anticipating a  referendum that would allow all Irish citizens living outside theContinue reading “New paper added to Citizenship Papers”

Members of VotingRights.ie have sent the following letter to the Minister for Tourism and the Minister for the Diaspora: WWW.VOTINGRIGHTS.IE                                                                                                    September 30, 2022 Hon. Catherine Martin, TDMinister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media23 Kildare Street, Dublin 2 D02 TD30   Hon. Colm Brophy, TD Minister for the Diaspora & Overseas Development Department of Foreign AffairsIveagh House80Continue reading “VotingRights.ie members write to Government ministers regarding Decade of Centenaries omission.”

Teresa Reidy of the Department of Government and Politics, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland has published a paper worth reading. Entitled, “Votes, Votes, Votes: Explaining the Long Road to Enfranchisement in Ireland”, it’s in the “Frontiers of Political Science”. The abstract: Enfranchisement of emigrant citizens living outside their home states has been a notable trendContinue reading “Academic examines delay in Irish emigrant enfranchisement”

From an Irish Times report by Jack Power: Thousands of Brazilians in Ireland queued for several hours to cast overseas votes in the country’s presidential election, where left-wing former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is seeking to unseat right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. One of those waiting in a line that snaked up and downContinue reading “Brazilians exercise their right to vote from Dublin”