Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to speak in support of this legislation which proposes to extend the franchise in the presidential election to all Irish citizens, regardless of where they live, and to lower the voting age to 16 for all citizens in the presidential election. The Convention on the Constitution has debated extending the franchise to all citizens for the presidential election. The convention teased it out and voted in favour of it and gave it to the Government to consider. I am amazed by the difficulties in its implementation the Minister outlined in his speech. It is amazing that 150 countries allow non-resident citizens vote if it is so difficult and there are so many considerations prior to doing so. It seems the Government wants to accept this Bill in order to let it die whenever this Dáil ends and that sometime in the term of the next Dáil, or maybe never, it will be revisited. That, unfortunately, seems to be the rationale.

The Government has accepted only one or two proposals put forward by the Convention on the Constitution on which to vote, which makes one wonder what was the point of the convention. It was a very positive exercise and contribution, which the Government should have taken more fully on board. The real fear from a Government point of view is that it cannot control how these people and 16 year olds will vote. Emigrants would probably not vote for the establishment parties that have been in power in this State for so many years. That is the main reason it will not seriously consider extending the franchise.

It is amazing too how many difficulties and issues have to be teased out, thought about, discussed and considered before extending the vote to 16 year olds can be put to the people. The most pressing point in this proposal is that the earlier we get people to engage and participate in the electoral system, the better our chance of having a dynamic system that represents everybody. It is constantly said that 18 to 25 year olds do not vote or not in such big numbers as other cohorts. That is because at that age one does not think politics influences one’s life. Only when one thinks about settling down, buying a house or starting a family does one realise that politics has an influence. It is then that those people start to vote. If people vote at 16, they are more likely to continue to vote and if we provide a vote for emigrants, they will be able to vote when they have to emigrate. It will be of great benefit to them and to our society to allow this to happen. Unfortunately, this Bill will die with the Government and will not see the light of day again.

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