The renewed discussion on extending voting rights to Ireland’s global diaspora is long overdue. Recent confirmation that a referendum on overseas voting for presidential elections is being considered again is welcome, but for many Irish citizens abroad, this is not a new debate — it is one that has been deferred for far too long.

Back 4 Good has championed diaspora voting rights for many years. Our platforms engage daily with skilled Irish professionals living across Europe, North America, Asia and beyond — people who remain deeply connected to Ireland, who contribute economically, culturally and socially, and who often intend to return home. Yet they remain excluded from the most basic democratic right: the ability to vote for Ireland’s Head of State.

Ireland is now an outlier internationally. Most comparable democracies allow their citizens abroad to vote in presidential elections, recognising that citizenship does not end at the airport gate. The proposal, as outlined by Neale Richmond, to limit overseas voting initially to presidential elections is a pragmatic starting point and one Back 4 Good strongly supports.

However, ambition matters. Any referendum must be future-proofed and accompanied by meaningful reform of the presidential nomination process. Currently, the system heavily favours established political structures and makes it exceptionally difficult for independent or diaspora-supported candidates to emerge. If Irish citizens abroad are to be trusted with a vote, they must also be meaningfully reflected in the nomination architecture itself. Reforming nominations alongside voting rights should be part of the same democratic conversation.

Crucially, timing is everything. Back 4 Good believes this referendum must be completed in time for the next presidential election in 2032, not postponed yet again by political caution or competing priorities. The failed 2019 proposal — derailed by Brexit and Covid — should serve as a lesson, not an excuse.

Ireland’s diaspora is not disengaged. On the contrary, it is informed, invested and eager to participate. Many already shape Ireland’s future through remittances, skills transfer, entrepreneurship and eventual return migration. Extending the presidential franchise would acknowledge that reality and strengthen Ireland’s democracy.

Back 4 Good will continue to advocate for a clear referendum, firm timelines, diaspora-inclusive nomination reform, and delivery — not delay. The question is no longer if Ireland should trust its citizens abroad, but when. The answer should be: before 2032.