Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his time this afternoon. I am delighted and proud to debate the Bill in the Seanad. I thank Senator Warfield for approaching me way back in July 2016 to co-sponsor the legislation. The right to vote is the most fundamental right a citizen in an active democracy wields. As legislators, it is our responsibility to support and encourage all of our citizens to engage in democracy at all levels. I support strongly the empowerment of young people in all areas of public life.

Irish people between the ages of 16 and 18 have a valuable contribution to make to the State culturally, socially, economically and, indeed, politically. Young people are hugely impacted by political decisions. Decisions made in the Oireachtas around education, employment and infrastructure will impact on the young most of all because it is their future for which we legislate. Under our current laws, however, they are excluded from political decision-making which is why the Bill seeks to make a change. Local government in Ireland is the most accessible form of democracy for young people. Councillors are engaged in their local communities and are familiar to our young people who deserve to be given the chance to elect them. At this critical juncture, we need now more than ever to engage young people in the debate over the future of the European Union. That is why we have tabled this important Bill and it is why we are pressing it further through the Oireachtas.

While the amendments were ruled out of order, I want to speak to them to highlight what their true intention was in terms of Fianna Fáil putting them forward. First, I want to comment briefly on the turnout at elections. It is an odd thing to say a certain demographic should not have the vote because we do not have a turnout in a particular group. If so many 18 year olds do not vote, should none of them vote? If people from a certain demographic, perhaps with low socio-economic backgrounds, have a low turnout, maybe we should take the vote off them all. Just because everyone does not vote, one does not exclude the ones who want to and will, hopefully setting an example for their peers and their friends to follow suit.