Mr. Art O'Leary:

-----so this happens automatically. We need to be in schools with fifth and sixth years. We need to get classes to register themselves as well. This is how we get young people involved in voting. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage wrote to us during the summer asking us to look at the question of voting at 16. I have no view on this yet, nor does the commission because we have not looked at it. However, the academics are saying strongly that habits you develop as a 16- and 17-year-old stay with you for life.

The earlier people get to vote, therefore, the higher the chances are that continuing to vote will stay with them as a habit and a public service. For the moment, 16- and 17-year-olds can register and we encourage everybody to do so. It will be a big part of our education, information and public engagement programme when we roll that out, hopefully in the early part of next year and certainly sometime next year.