Colm Brophy (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Tairgim:

Go scriosfar na focail go léir i ndiaidh "Go" agus go gcuirfear an méid seo a leanas ina n-ionad:

"mbeartaíonn Dáil Éireann go measfar an Bille um an Aonú Leasú is Daichead ar an mBunreacht (An Aois Vótála a Laghdú go Sé Bliana Déag), 2025 a bheith léite an Dara hUair 12 mhí ó inniu, le tuilleadh breithniú ar an mBille a cheadú.".

I move:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:

"Dáil Éireann resolves that the Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Reduction of Voting Age to Sixteen Years) Bill 2025, be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow for further consideration of the Bill.".

I am pleased to participate in this debate. I thank Deputy Farrelly for bringing forward the Bill and for raising this very important issue. Democracy is an essential component of our country. Ireland is one of the longest continuous democracies in the western world. We do not and cannot take our democracy for granted, and we should acknowledge the fact that we have had 103 years of continuous democracy.

Voting is central to democracy. The laws around voting and eligibility to vote should always be taken seriously. We must be open to new ideas but careful in how we respond to them in equal measure. This Bill proposes to amend Article 16 of the Constitution to lower the age at which persons would be entitled to vote in Dail Eireann elections from 18 years of age to 16. At present, a person must be aged 18 years or over to be eligible to vote in any electoral event, be it a general election, presidential election, local or Limerick mayoral election, European Parliament election or referendum. Article 16 of the Constitution states that those who have reached the age of 18 shall have the right to vote at an election for Members of Dail Eireann. Article 12, relating to the President, Article 47, relating to referendums, and Article 28A, relating to local government, state that citizens eligible to vote in Dail elections are eligible to vote in such polls. A reduction in the voting age in Dail elections would have a consequential effect of reducing the voting age at presidential and local elections, including Limerick mayoral elections, as well as at referendums.

The reason the Government is proposing a deferral of the Second Stage reading of the Bill is that the issue of the voting age is currently being examined by the Electoral Commission as part of its research programme for the period 2024 to 2026. My colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, is of the view that it would be premature to progress the Bill at this time in advance of the commission having considered and reported on the issue.

One of the reasons we need to consider in this debate is the issue of parity of minimum voting age between the different electoral codes. At present, the minimum voting age for all types of elections and referendums is 18. The proposed change also raises the issue of parity of minimum voting age between all codes.

In political, civic and academic circles in Ireland, the issue of lowering the minimum voting age has been debated for a number of years. This debate has happened within the context of change in other countries, including, as has been mentioned, in Scotland and Wales, where the voting age is 16 for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly and their respective local elections. Scottish 16- and 17-year-olds were able to vote in the 2014 referendum on independence, as was mentioned. The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands have also lowered the voting age to 16 for elections. The voting age for national elections in EU is 18, with the exception of four countries. Austria and Malta allow 16-year-olds to vote in national elections. Greece allows 17-year-olds to vote in such elections. At the next national elections in Cyprus, due in 2026, the voting age will be 17. In 22 of the EU’s 27 member states, the minimum voting age in last year’s European Parliament elections was 18.

Here in Ireland, the issue of lowering the minimum voting age to 17 was debated by the Convention on the Constitution back in 2013. At that time, a slim majority of the assembled citizens and parliamentarians, 52%, favoured reducing the minimum voting age for all elections. If the minimum voting age were to be changed, 48% of participants supported lowering the age to 16, compared with 39% who favoured lowering the age to 17. A sizeable majority, 68% of participants, opposed lowering the minimum voting age for some types of elections but not all and 28% of the participants supported lowering it for some electoral events but not all.

Among the arguments used at that time for lowering the minimum voting age were: the fact that people of 16 and 17 enjoy other legal rights and that it is important that they have a say in who governs them; that if lowering the voting age coincides with better political awareness and education, voter participation among young people would increase - research has shown that if voters vote in the first elections that they are eligible for, they are more likely to form a voting habit and vote throughout their lives; that initial political engagement is best placed happening within the stable environment of schooling rather than during college years, when there is great change in people’s lives; and that the increased civic education of young people through the school curriculum prepares people at an earlier age than previously for engagement with the political process.

On the other hand, among the arguments used for maintaining the current age of 18 were: that 16- or 17-year-olds may not be mature enough to make decisions on who should represent them or govern them; that other rights are gained at 18 years of age; that lowering the minimum voting age to 16 or 17 is an arbitrary decision about when young people are ready to vote; and that maturity is a process rather than something someone obtains at a certain age.

It was mentioned that telling 16- or 17-year-olds that they had the responsibility or duty to vote was viewed by some as an additional expectation on teenagers. Other points made were that it was not a panacea for the lower turnout rates among younger people than among other age cohorts or that the motive for such reform can be partisan, as there is a perception sometimes that younger people tend to vote for left of centre parties, although I do not think this last is borne out by the research in the few countries where the voting age has been lowered to 16.

Whatever the different views on this issue, I suggest that we are better placed to have this debate now than we were when the convention had its deliberation. We now have the Electoral Commission, which is well placed to look at issues like this, which are complex and nuanced, and to engage with international comparisons. There has been more time since other jurisdictions lowered their minimum voting age and lessons from their experiences can be used to inform our debate. Civic education in Ireland has increased and expanded. Leaving certificate students can study politics and society, which is something they could not do ten years ago. We also have lessons from the education system's experience in teaching secondary school students matters relating to citizenship, democracy and related matters.

As someone who joined a political party at 13 or 14 years of age, I have absolutely always believed in the importance of youth participation. I had the honour of heading up the political youth movement of my party. I believe in getting involved early and in the importance of having your voice heard. It is something I can see all the arguments on. I have been passionate since that age in my life when I used to - and perhaps one of the other Deputies also mentioned it - sit and have those arguments at the family table with my dad. My dad and I never agreed on the same politics and I think it really hones your argument when you come from a family where you can have those discussions that actually cause you to break out and be challenged in your thinking. I believe this is done really well in family environments, when people are teenagers, and when people have opportunities to engage. I went to the local community school in Cabinteely and we used to organise brilliant civics weeks. We would put candidates up for election from all political parties. We had the local TDs and Ministers come in and deliver speeches. If someone had told me I was going to be one of those in 20-something years' time, I would have laughed at them, to be honest. I would not have believed them. That is the real importance of participation for young people in the democratic process. It is about being involved in youth organisations, including political youth organisations. Having a say and having it heard is important. I just wanted to put forward my own experience on that from a personal background.

I thank Deputy Farrelly for tabling the Bill, which I have no doubt will help generate a positive debate on what the minimum voting age in Ireland should be. I believe the debate is a really important one. A decision in this area requires considered research and analysis before it can be made. In that regard, I look forward to the Electoral Commission's research on the matter and to all the contributions from Deputies here today.

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