Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

Picking up on Senator Donohoe's point, I do not have a problem with the Taoiseach going to a Swiss sanatorium for a weekend. If he did not, there would be serious questions asked by the international community about why he did not show up.

I refer to a request made by the youth movement to extend the right to vote to 16 year olds in the forthcoming local elections. Unlike Dáil elections, where a referendum would be needed to do this, 16 year olds could be given the right to vote by passing legislation in this House. In Austria, 16 year olds have the right to vote in local elections. In many lånder in Germany and in a number of cantons in Switzerland they have the right to vote. The UK is examining this and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, should examine this. If we are to do this, now is the time to introduce the legislation. We are not suffering from too much legislation in this House. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister to make a decision on the matter shortly.