Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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On Deputy O'Donoghue's questions, cybersecurity is really for another Department. The HSE cyberattack has sharpened all our minds to really strengthen our cybersecurity in the State. That is an absolute.

I take on board Deputy O'Donoghue's point about Independents. Deputy McAuliffe referred to the radio content and radio advertising. There is a broader issue for discussion here on the fairness of and impartiality of the media. It is not for today and it is certainly not the role of the commission. I take on board the point that perhaps smaller parties and Independents might feel squeezed in the media space.

That is perhaps where the online side of it offers the opportunity to compete equally with political parties. The Deputy makes a valid point. Everything I say is based on the precursor that I am waiting for the report and I look forward to it coming back to us.

On Senator Boyhan's question, we still see a strong role for local authorities. They bring with them decades of experience and local knowledge. We think the role of this legislation will be to partner with local authorities to ensure we modernise the electoral register, pre-register 16- and 17-year-olds and bring about that transformation with local authorities. We still believe they have a critical role to play. I know the Senator disagrees and is a great champion of local government. I take his point on board. I look forward to seeing the outputs of the committee's work.

I agree wholeheartedly with the point about the National Youth Council of Ireland. Young people need a voice at the table right across all spectrums of our democracy. I have met with a number of groups, including the Irish Second-Level Students Union, to discuss the campaign to reduce the voting age to 16. That might be one of the tasks the commission could take on in its early stages. It could look at the potential for moving towards a reduction of voting age and what other jurisdictions have experienced in that regard. I am of the view, when I look at the climate strikes, Fridays For Future and other things, that young people have a democratic right and a right under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to have a say in shaping their own futures. I am looking forward to seeing their submission. I thank the Senator.