Sir, - Your reported in your August 13th article "Home and away votes" that, at the Parnell Summer School, Professor John A. Murphy, in opposing the emigrant vote, said that "the first duty of this state is to the citizens of this State". Is Professor Murphy suggesting that in addition to being stripped of our democratic right to vote emigrants are also stripped of our citizenship when we become resident abroad?
Emigrants are Irish citizens, and as such have equal rights as citizens under the Irish Constitution. Just as we remain Irish citizens, we also retain our right to vote. It is the undemocratic and closed minded who would continue to deny us this right unjustly. Yours, etc.,
Campaign Co-ordinator, Irish
Emigrant Vote Campaign,
150 West 87th Street, #2C, New York,
NY 10024.