Government delays discussion on reducing voting age to 16

Deferral until June 2023 to allow time to 'complete  electoral reform commitments' and establish Electoral Commission  

The Government said it was seeking a timed delay to allow for the establishment of the Electoral Commission.  Picture: Larry Cummins

The Government has defended its decision to delay by 12 months new laws seeking to reduce the voting age to 16 for all elections.

During a debate on a private members bill, tabled by Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle, the Government said it was seeking a timed delay to allow for the establishment of the new Electoral Commission.

Speaking on behalf of the Government, junior minister Malcolm Noonan said he and the Government are of the view that the second reading of the bill should be deferred until June 30, 2023.

“This will allow us time to complete the current electoral reform commitments, including the establishment of the Electoral Commission, and moreover, to undertake an examination of voting age in respect of the Scottish experience,” he said.

Once it is established, the Electoral Commission will be well placed to examine the prospect of reducing the age at which a person should be entitled to vote at elections and referendums held in the State, having particular regard to the experience in Scotland, he said.

Junior Minister Malcolm Noonan said it is a matter for debate as to whether reducing the voting age would address concerns around voter apathy. Picture: John Hennessy

Mr Noonan said he largely agreed with the value in examining the expanded role for young people in political debate and “not just in a tokenistic way".

He said it is a matter for debate as to whether reducing the voting age would address concerns around voter apathy.

Mr Pringle, in his contribution, said he was not happy with the delays but would welcome progress on this matter.

He said at the heart of this proposal was “listening to young people and giving them a voice” to express their views should they want it.

He said their voice was critical to the discussion on matters such as climate change as they will be the generation to have to deal with the failures of earlier ones.

Mr Pringle strongly rejected the notion that teenagers are not interested in politics, saying this generation is the most educated in history.

“They are very capable of understanding the political system," he said.

We have to stop with the constant undermining and belittling of our young people.

“They are educated, they are smart, and we can hardly believe that they are capable of sitting exams in nine different subjects, but they are somehow unable to get their head around the single transferable vote,” he added.

The Government amendment was accepted by the Dáil, thereby delaying its second reading until next June.