Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 37:

In page 40, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “Voting rights review

55.(1) The Commission shall conduct a review of voting rights and entitlements. This shall include, but not be limited to:

(a) lowering the voting age to 16;

(b) extending voting rights to all residents;

(c) extending voting rights to citizens living in Northern Ireland;

(d) extending voting rights to recent emigrants.

(2) This review shall include a process of public consultation and expert engagement.

(3) This review shall be provided to the Minister, the Joint Oireachtas Committee and laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas within 18 months of the establishment of the Commission.”.

This amendment seeks a review of voting rights in terms of who is eligible to vote and voting entitlements, to be conducted within 18 months of the commission being established. The review would consider issues such as lowering the voting age to 16 years of age and extending voting rights to citizens living in Northern Ireland, recent emigrants and people who are resident in Ireland but do not currently have a vote. It also calls for an extensive public consultation and engagement process as part of the review.

I will touch on a few of the issues. The call to lower the voting age to 16 years is not new. In 2013, a constitutional convention recommended to the then Government that this question be put to people in a referendum. It has been almost ten years but no Government has acted on it. The National Youth Council of Ireland, the Children's Rights Alliance and the Irish Second-Level Students' Union have called for this. It is worth serious consideration and young people should be part of the conversation.

There are significant issues affecting young people that are not getting a sufficient response in the political system, for example, mental health and the lack of choice for students and their parents in terms of schools. In my constituency, many students want to attend second level mixed-gender secular schools but there is a lack of choice. The options open to them are largely single-sex religious schools, which do not reflect their wishes. Young people do not have a sufficient voice in this round, yet theirs is an important voice on issues like climate change and housing. Not having their electoral voice is a matter that needs to be examined.

In Austria and Germany, where voting for 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds has been introduced, we have seen equal levels of voter turnout and participation among that age group as among older cohorts. The argument that we would not get the same level of participation or turnout does not hold. Scotland, Austria and seven of Germany's 16 states have lowered their voting ages to 16 years. Countries like Switzerland and Estonia have done so for local elections. There is a strong case for this idea to be considered as part of a review, which is what this amendment is seeking.

I appreciate that all residents have votes in local elections, but the fact that local democracy in Ireland is not as strong as it should be means they do not get the same kind of say. When out campaigning, we explain to them they have a vote in the local elections but not in anything else. I am not suggesting someone who has only been resident in Ireland for a short time should have full voting rights, but extending voting rights to those who have lived here, worked here and contributed to society over many years and who are part of Irish society in the same way as anyone else is at least worth considering, as is extending voting rights to the other cohorts I have mentioned in my amendment.

I am suggesting the commission review these matters within its first 18 months. I look forward to the Minister of State's comments.