Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want the Minister of State to have time to respond. I would have been in earlier only for a little oversight, but not to worry.

I am in my 14th year as a member of the board of management of a secondary school and my eighth year as chairman of a school board. They are two different schools. I was a member of Ógra Fianna Fáil, one of the largest political youth movements in the country. It is probably the largest in terms of membership numbers and has been for many years. It was set up by Séamus Brennan in 1975. UCD, the largest third level institution in the country, was a part of my local electoral area in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown every time I ran in the local elections. I ran in 1999, when I was a lot younger than I am now, as well as in 2004, 2009 and 2014. I was made an honorary life member of the Kevin Barry cumann in UCD, which is the largest Fianna Fáil cumann in the country, have chaired their AGMs for the past ten years in a row and have been invited to chair my 11th one next month. I was very lucky to be proposed as a vice-president along with the founder, Gerry Collins, at the AGM last year.

I will not be lectured to by anyone about my involvement or that of Fianna Fáil in representing young people over many years. I have listened to the debate and would love to be in a position to propose accepting the Bill as is and allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote at local and European elections immediately. I was a chair of Ógra Fianna Fáil and the youth officer in my area. I helped out in elections when I was nine years of age by packing envelopes and doing various other tasks that nine year olds were able to do. Fianna Fáil, during its participation in the constitutional convention, supported the idea of reducing the voting age and Fianna Fáil, according to various recent polls, is as popular as any other party and more popular than most in the 18 to 24 years bracket. As a party, we have nothing to fear by allowing the voting age to be reduced to 16 years.

I canvassed people in their houses during my four local election campaigns and while campaigning for other people in general elections and found 22, 23 and 24 year olds who were not on the register and had no interest in voting. I would like to see more information being provided. The marriage equality referendum got young people on board, but this proposal would not do anything. In recent days, I have received e-mails from people stating that they wanted to vote in the marriage equality referendum. In time young people might be able to vote in referendums, but this Bill will not address that problem.If it is passed or introduced, the position in respect of referendums or Dáil elections will not be any different from the current position, unfortunately. Although my party and I are very supportive of the thrust of the legislation, we want to ensure whatever concept is passed has the support of the majority of the population. The general public needs to receive a level of education in order that voters will understand what is at stake. When I attend various events in schools such as transition year musicals and prize giving nights, I see great ability and talent. I would be delighted if every 16 and 17 year old in my local area had the right to vote. Like Senator Diarmuid Wilson, I think I would have done even better if they had been entitled to vote when I was running in local elections. There is a great number of young people involved. We need to make sure 18 year olds are on the register. Perhaps we might have registration campaigns within schools. I have forms to give to people. I know that others have done likewise. Many students in sixth year are 18 years of age. Sometimes there are 18 year olds in fifth year. It is most important that we get them involved. We are, therefore, supportive of the thrust of the Bill and I commend Senators Fintan Warfield and Lynn Ruane for its introduction. I think Senator Padraig Mac Lochlainn mentioned that his name was on it also. I am absolutely supportive of the concept. I do not want anybody in this Chamber to say Fianna Fáil is not in favour of implementation of this proposal in the fullness of time. We absolutely want it to happen.