Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, I was one of the first altar girls. I was also involved in a campaign to change loads of different school policies. As a young person, I believed I was well capable of making a political decision regarding where my vote should go. I knew at the age of 16 after I left the room having met local Deputies and other public representatives in An Cosán at a voting workshop who I would vote for and would I would not vote for, and who represented my voice and who did not. That has not changed to this date. People think one will vote one way when one is so young and somehow one is not mature enough, and that view that one has then will change as one gets older. There is not much difference between being 16 and being 18. The majority of the research for my contribution was carried out under the lead of Eoin, a 15 year old work experience student in my office. He is present in the Visitors Gallery. He has worked for me all year and he has led the research on the voting age and engaged with approximately 600 students from 28 DEIS schools. He will be 16 when the next election is held and he is well capable of making a decision on where his vote will go.

What we are seeing today is fear on the part of establishment politicians that the youth vote will not go their way and that is why the amendment is designed to stall the legislation. There is fear of a shift because the views of young people are no longer represented in politics. That means Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are standing in the way of the democratic process. They fear for themselves in respect where these votes will go. The DEIS students had significant knowledge about this field. A total of 418 out of 600 students who filled out a survey said they would vote if they were given the chance. They highlighted issues such as LGBT rights, the eighth amendment, homelessness, the rise of right wing populism, the exit of the UK from the EU, hospital overcrowding, mental health services, Irish unity and reunification. They know their politics and they are engaged. It is an awful shame to see politicians getting in the way of that. When asked if they would vote, 75% said they would. That reflects the turnout in Scotland when it lowered the voting age. When asked what influenced their voting decision, they mentioned friends, family, speeches by politicians, debates between politicians, one's own political beliefs, the traditional media and political advertising.

I was sent a few messages regarding a document Fine Gael issued in respect of the amendment. These show that there are no solid reasons to oppose this legislation. One of the reasons given by Fine Gael was that "Minister Coveney needs time to consider the issue further". That is ridiculous. We are on Second Stage in this House. There are three more Stages in this House followed by five in the Dáil. This is a long process and there is plenty time for consideration. Another reason given by Fine Gael, which is supported by Fianna Fáil, was that "The Bill would create a divide between those who can vote at EU-local elections and general-presidential elections". There is already a divide between who can vote in those sets of elections. We have legislated for non-EU citizens to vote in local elections and deemed them ineligible to vote in general and presidential elections, and referenda. It is not a new, radical or unusual idea in Irish politics to set different eligibility criteria for different elections and I cannot see how Fine Gael can justify blocking that.

Fine Gael have stated that "It is not clear there is public support for reducing the voting age; therefore we need to have a referendum on the issue". Again, this is a weak argument. We make decisions all the time in the Oireachtas for which we do not seek full public support. Sometimes we just choose to do what is right. According to Fine Gael:

Lowering the voting age needs to be accompanied by a civic education programme to prepare and inform 16 and 17 year olds for being able to vote. The new Politics and Society class needs to be given time to better inform students.

This is also a Fianna Fáil argument. It is an extraordinarily offensive idea that only through a formal education programme can a young person become informed enough and engaged enough to be able to vote. Young people are in the Gallery. They are ready and we should listen to them.Politics and society is a new leaving certificate subject. Should we all give up our vote and return to school to sit this subject? All of us have voted since we turned 18 and none of us took that subject. We were influenced by our parents, families, neighbours and our environment. I have a 16 year old who is at work all day today.She has worked and paid tax since she was 14, but she is still not eligible to vote. The State says that young people like her can contribute to society but they will not have a voice in saying who will represent them.

Fine Gael also said that "There is ambiguity around the constitutionality of amending the voting age". I would be curious to read the details of the Government’s legal advice on this issue. I just had a quick read of the Constitution. Article 16 sets 18 as the age for Dáil elections, with other parts of the Constitution linking eligibility at presidential elections and referenda to Dáil eligibility. Nowhere does the Constitution make any reference to eligibility for other elections and, indeed, Article 28A, in the section relating to local government, states that the right to vote of persons in local elections will be determined by law.We are debating a law. The Government’s response is contradicted by the text of our own Constitution. It is very important to get involved in local politics. Local councillors are involved in youth clubs, schools and GAA clubs, and their offices are at the end of the road. If young people become engaged at local level when they are aged 16 with the person they can recognise in their own community who is accessible to them, they will remain engaged by the time they turn 18 to become involved in national politics.

The Fianna Fáil manifesto states that the party wants to trial lowering the voting age to 16 in local and European elections in 2019, yet it supports the amendment, which does the opposite and pushes the date for lowering the age back. By the time we get through the process proposed at the end of the year, it will be too late for 16 year olds to register. I am looking to Fianna Fáil to change their minds in the next hour after we have heard everybody else's contribution.