Neale Richmond (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "That" and substitute "the Bill be read a Second Time on 31 December 2017.".

During the Order of Business, I was struck by a comment made by former Minister, Senator Reilly, when he was referring to the plain packaging of cigarettes. It is probably out of context but I thought it was a good line. He said, "Children are not stupid". He was referring to the choices people make when it comes to tobacco legislation. When it comes to this legislation, my comments might seem a little out of kilter with the Government and I will explain that later. At the end of the day, when people are aged 16 and 17, they are old enough to work, pay tax, drive, join the Army and, God forbid, die for their country, but yet we still rob them of the right to participate fully in our democracy. This issue has been a journey for me. When I was involved in youth politics, I firmly opposed ever changing the voting age from 18 to 16 and the flimsy excuse I used at the time was that we did not have proper political education in schools and that civic engagement.It is a rubbish excuse because you do not need that formal political and civic education to know what your community and society is all about. Despite this, I am delighted to say that subject is being brought in by the Government. It is a very positive thing and should be embraced as such.

As I have explained, I am on a personal journey. The party of which I am a member, and of which I chose to be a member at the age of 19 while having no family ties to it, is also on a journey when it comes to this issue. I accept that the vast majority within my party, and probably within Government as the Minister of State himself can address in due course, are not where I am on this issue. I remind the House that when I joined Fine Gael the party had just about gotten its head around civil unions, let alone marriage equality. When I joined Fine Gael it had quite different positions, particularly in social areas, than it does now. Parties need time to change and unfortunately we cannot always push that change as fast as individual members would like. I admit, as I said throughout my seven years on the county council, that if I agree with Fine Gael 75% of the time, I am doing well.

I chose to join a party, however, because I believe in party politics. While I fully respect those who are representatives of other parties or none, for me the party system is the best way to actually achieve things and get things done. In turn, one has to make personal sacrifices, put one's pride aside and, although I hate to say it, put one's principles aside and accept that one's colleagues are not necessarily there yet or that one's full opinions are not exactly those of the party. That does not mean that a person must stop believing in something and cannot keep pushing for something internally. I could have very easily stood up here and read the excellent notes prepared by our press office and our Government office about why the amendment is being pushed, exactly what the Minister of State will say in due course. I will not do that. I will be frank because I fully respect-----