Are we to turn role of President into random social science experiment?

Fergus Finlay (Irish Examiner, April 21) opines that adoption of the referendum proposal on May 22 to lower the age limit of presidential candidates from 35 years to 21 years would be an expression of Ireland coming of age with ‘a young uncynical President’, as if the role of head of state is to become a random and unstructured social science experiment.

When the members of the Constitutional Convention considered the issue of the eligible age limit of candidates for the office of President of Ireland the membership was split 50:50 as to whether change was desirable but they did not specify an alternative age limit.

This ambivalent stance has now been transposed by the Government into a referendum proposal. But neither of the government parties have elaborated on what the underlying rationale for their proposal is and if there is any compelling evidence whatsoever to commend it for electoral support.