Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am particularly enjoying this debate and it is especially welcome that there are a lot of young people in the Gallery listening to it. I have listened carefully to many points from all sides, including differing perspectives from within my own party, Fine Gael. Senator Richmond outlined his views while Senator Mulherin outlined her opposite view. I will be frank and open at the outset that my position is more aligned with that of Senator Mulherin as I will explain in the next few minutes. Before doing so, I note that we need more civic engagement and activism. We need to encourage that at local level whether people are young, old or in between. It is through that engagement and experience of activism in community groups and through general life experience that people form views and values in terms of where they stand politically and where they would like to see their country and their people going.

My fundamental belief is that at 16 years of age, young people are developing those formative views. They are very open to influence but they are also of their own mind. I listened carefully to Senator Ó Ríordáin who said that after 11 years as a teacher, he had learned a great deal from the children he taught. Certainly, I believe that and over 24 years as an uncle and 14 as a parent, I too have learned a great deal from the young people in my close-knit family. However, I am simply not convinced that they are ready to formulate views that will impact substantially in the electoral process. Those are their formative years and they should be given the time and space to develop their views. It is a responsibility that some of them may not even want. Having said that, I acknowledge that I have received considerable correspondence from 16 year olds who want this change.

While I do not want to politicise the debate, I note to Senator Ó Ríordáin that Fine Gael is not afraid of young people. I have been a Fine Gael representative for over 18 years but I was never a member of Young Fine Gael. I was more active in my community. I remember when there was no youth club in my area engaging with other young people to form one. I became a chairman of that youth club at 15 years of age. I have been involved in scouting, the GAA and many more local youth groups which I continue to support in their activism. That does not mean that activism should extend to voting at that age. There are other issues which are exercising their minds and taking up the energies of young people to a far greater extent at that age. Fine Gael's position this evening is to respect that there are quite a number of people who feel the legislation should change and that people should be allowed to vote at 16. We are saying that to decide on it here is, however, premature.

Perhaps we should widen the debate. I am one of the many politicians here that visit schools regularly and invite them to the Oireachtas. Rather than just have pre-organised statements, questions and answers, I always take the opportunity to organise with teachers beforehand to engage in real debate. I sometimes bring little plebiscites into a school and that creates a bit of excitement and engagement. One of the questions I always ask children is whether, if they had a vote in the morning, they would like to have six months off and six months on at school. A lot of the time, they vote to have six months off. I then ask whether that is in their long-term best interests. In the same session, they then disagree with what they voted for. We are developing the debate and the mindset and when one throws out a question, it is easy to give a populist answer. It is often the case here. It is just an example of some of the engagement I have had with young people. They thoroughly enjoy it and so do I.

I respect all views, as do we all. Certainly, I will not attack anyone who believes we should have voting at 16. Personally, I consider it to be premature and I remain to be convinced of why the age should be reduced. Having said that, if I hear something from future debates or there is a groundswell among young people in school and among the general population that this should change, I will be open to changing my view also, as any democratic should be. However, it is premature now and it places a responsibility on young shoulders for which they may not be ready as they develop in their formative years. They have enough to bother and worry them than subjecting them to influences of all kinds. I understand where Senator Norris was coming from when he spoke about political parties and others who might try to influence. If we are honest about it, they might utilise means which are not fair to young people to influence them to express a vote in a certain way. I do not want to be part of that. Adults have that responsibility and that is where it should remain.