Politics

Brexit: Fine Gael TDs urge British voters in Ireland to vote remain

Letter also asks people to urge friends and family in Britain to vote to stay in EU

British voters living in Ireland have been targeted by Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar and other Fine Gael TDs urging them to remain within the European Union. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/ The Irish Times.
British voters living in Ireland have been targeted by Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar and other Fine Gael TDs urging them to remain within the European Union. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/ The Irish Times.
Fiach Kelly
Wed Jun 15 2016 - 21:24

British voters living in Ireland have been contacted by Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar and other Fine Gael TDs urging them to support the UK remaining in the European Union.

Mr Varadkar has written to voters in his Dublin West constituency urging them to vote in the referendum if entitled to do so and has provided a template for his colleagues in the parliamentary party to follow suit.

It also asks people to urge friends and family in Britain to vote to remain.

The voters are so-called “D voters” and are identified on the electoral register for having a “D” in their details. These are British citizens who can vote in local, European and Dáil elections.

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Under British electoral rules, UK citizens living in Ireland, as well as Irish citizens who lived in the UK during the past 15 years and registered to vote, can cast a ballot in the referendum.

Birth place

The last Irish census in 2011 showed that 288,627 people listed their place of birth as being in the UK.

Added to that, Irish people who have lived for a period in the UK since 2000 and who voted there in elections and referendums during that time may also be entitled to vote in the referendum.

Postal votes in the referendum must be returned to the relevant local authority in Britain by 10pm on referendum day, Thursday June 23rd.

The letter says there are “four main reasons” Mr Varadkar wants the UK to remain in the EU: the economy, Northern Ireland, the Common Travel Area between Ireland and the UK and Europe benefitting with the UK remaining in.

This is because “Europe is an increasingly small player in the World and is behind the United States and China in terms of population and economic power”, Mr Varadkar writes.

India is growing rapidly and South American countries are coming together to form a strong block. Britain makes the EU stronger in negotiations with these powers, he says. When it comes to debates on issues within the EU, Britain and Ireland are usually on the same side given our similar cultures. If Britain leaves, we lose an ally and Europe is weakened.

“I do hope that you will take these considerations into account if you have a vote. If you don’t but agree, please contact someone you know in Britain or Northern Ireland and remind them to vote.”