Presidential referendum was ‘waste of money’

A Fine Gael MEP has blasted the referendum on the issue of the presidential age as a “waste of money” and said those who came up with the idea of putting it before the people should be fired.

The referendum on whether to reduce the minimum age of candidates for the presidency from 21 to 35 was heavily defeated.

The Department of Public Expenditure estimates the cost of the referendum was around €7.5m, money which MEP Seán Kelly said had been a complete waste.