Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I am fully committed to 16-year-olds having the right to vote. In this State, 17-year-olds can have consensual sex but cannot vote. Is that not extraordinary in a republic? It is profound in many ways and disappointing.

We are talking about amendments Nos. 13 to 16, inclusive, and I acknowledge the enormous work of Senators Warfield and Ruane. When I listened to Senator Ruane, I identified with everything she said. Most of us in the Chamber were more than likely politically active as young people. I think of activism around the environment. I think of the Minister of State's party in that regard. If we analyse the results of the most recent general election, it was young people who influenced their parents to vote for the Green Party. The green tide was a result of young people mobilising in spite of not having a vote. Many of my friends told me their kids, as young as seven, eight and nine, were in the car and asking their parents if they were going to vote Green. I think of Ms Flossie Donnelly, who I have met and who is very active in Dún Laoghaire in cleaning up the coast and all of that stuff, among many other things. The Green Party's success in the general election made it a part of this tripartite coalition Government and resulted in the Minister of State being appointed to his position. That was predominantly because of the young people. The Green vote came from all sorts of people, a cross-section of society. It was the Green Party's time. However, young people were exceptionally active. They are active in the green schools of An Taisce. They are active in Amnesty International and involved in the Irish Council for Civil Liberties. Young people are involved in everything.

I was a political activist many years ago at the age of 14 or 15. Many of us were very opinionated at that age. We had views and thought we could contribute. We were involved in student politics. Many of us were involved in debating. We were argumentative and incorrigible but we believed and we were passionate about what we believed in. We might have been a bit misguided from time to time but that goes with the terrain. That is an important point to make. The Green Party benefits more than any other from young people's political activism but all were involved.

There is great expectation of the Minister of State, as a successful Green Party Minister of State in government. He is popular across both Houses. That is something I have observed and I say that to him. We do not want a promise today. I hope there will be a vote on these amendments because I think there should be. We should put people on the record. I hope there will be some sort of enlightenment here today. There have been amazing contributions from all sides of the House on these issues.

This is legislation. We are considering the Electoral Reform Bill 2022. What could be a more appropriate place to be amending legislation? Would it not be great if Seanad Éireann took a decision here today? I do not doubt the Minister of State's support. Senator Pauline O'Reilly spoke well in favour of extending the franchise. I also pay tribute to Deputy Richmond, a former Senator. He spoke very much in favour of the extension of voting rights to 16-year-olds. I pay tribute to Young Fine Gael for its commitment. I do not understand why these dots are not joining up. All political groups and members of all political parties and none are talking about the promise of the right to vote to 16-year-olds but somehow the Government does not seem to be able to get it together. However, it is early days. This is important.

I will return to my point about young people's involvement in protecting the environment. Look at all the young people who came out and piled into Dublin Castle to celebrate marriage equality. They were the people aged ten, 11, 12 and 13 who were knocking on the doors. They were the people who were rightly out enjoying Pride last week and who are proud of that fact. They were influencers for change. The politicians appeared in the afternoon on the day of the referendum result to the cameras, music and bands and thought they were great but it was young people who were behind those campaigns. When one thinks of our planet and environment, and the built heritage campaigns with which the Minister of State was involved in Kilkenny, young people are all over those campaigns. Why is it that somehow we cannot connect?

I also acknowledge Senator Malcolm Byrne's contribution, which was good. His party is in government. He must bring people with him. We bring people with us. I thank the Senator for his excellent contribution.

We see young people involved in student politics. Considerable numbers of young people are involved in universities and pursue educational opportunities, apprenticeships and all sorts of training. We see young people active in our communities and involved in our Tidy Towns. They are involved in strong advocacy work. We want them engaging. We want not only to hear their voices, we want them as active participants in elections. I see the local and European elections as a real opportunity. There are two and a half years left in this programme for Government. Surely this can be made a priority.

We need to send a strong message to young people. We are not just talking here. We believe in young people and believe they should be supported. We are late arriving at this stage. Based on the conversations we have had, the Minister of State's absolute commitment, the contributions of a Fianna Fáil Senator and those of Senator Pauline O'Reilly and her strong support for 16-year-olds, let us try to push on a bit. The commission will go on and do its work. What better way for Seanad Éireann to help than to take a decision to support amendments Nos. 13 to 16? It is right we should support those amendments. All of us across this House have an opportunity to demonstrate our absolute commitment. The commission can go on with its work but let us send that strong message from Seanad Éireann today and stand in solidarity with the young people of Ireland.