Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I too welcome all our visitors in the Public Gallery. I welcome my fellow Kildare man and wish him the best of luck in the forthcoming local elections. I also thank Fianna Fáil Senators for introducing the important debate tonight on the Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2021. It is a Bill to reduce to 16 years the age at which a person is entitled to be registered as a European Parliament and local government elector.

The debate this evening is timely for me because, on my way into Leinster House today, I met the transition year class in the excellent Cross and Passion College in Kilcullen, along with their teacher, Mr. Sean Dowling, and we discussed this Bill. There were a variety of answers, some of which I think some Members might find very interesting, in the discussion with the transition year class from Kilcullen in County Kildare this morning. A number of students felt that 16 was too young and they would not be mature enough to make an informed decision. It is very welcome that young people are thinking like that. Another interesting comment from a student was that 16 was too young, as that particular student felt they would only vote the way their parents wanted them to. However, the majority of students in that transition year class were in favour of a reduction in the age to 16, with comments like, "I feel I am old enough", "I live in my community, I want to vote", "I want to get my name on the register", "It would mean a lot to me", and "It is my future, I want to vote". That comment was replicated time and time again by the students from Cross and Passion College. One question, which was rather interesting, was whether this would come in time for the local elections of next year. Senator Byrne has gone some way to answering that question and the Government has gone someway to maybe not answering it but it was the question on the lips of those in Cross and Passion College this morning. It is a conversation I have had with many young people.

It is also important, as politicians, that we have those conversations because another part of our discussion today was what they thought of politicians and how we converse with young people. It was interesting to hear comments that we do not converse enough. Young people do not feel they are part of the political system. That is something we can all take on board, and I definitely did. When young people tell you they are not aware of what you are doing on the ground in Kildare South or wherever we may be, it is a worry for us all in this House. It is a worry that we are not getting through to young people. Young people are important to us all. It goes without saying that young people are the future of this country. Many of them want to get involved. They want their voices to be heard. They want to vote. Many were aware of the issues. I am using this morning's discussion as an example of many conversations I have had. They were aware of what was missing in their localities. When we talk about introducing this, as we could, through legislation for local elections, they gave examples of the infrastructure they felt young people were missing in their area. They were very much aware of that and how that needed to be introduced.

It is a Bill the Labour Party has supported in the past in this House. We would support it again. Labour Youth has consistently supported and campaigned on reducing that age to 16. I thank Labour Youth for that because that too is important. All political parties have a youth wing that can keep us informed of what is happening on the ground, particularly at that age. This Bill can be the vehicle we use to engage more with those 16- and 17-year-olds and bring them to understand that politicians do actually care and want 16- and 17-year-olds to be involved in politics. We want to hear their views. It reminds me, which has been referenced before, of the story, which is true in my case, of a local politician who knocked on the door and asked to speak to the mammy and daddy of the young person who answered the door. They did not know that the person had just turned 18, registered to vote only the week before and was looking forward to engagement with that politician at the door and other politicians. When I knocked on the door and discussed, as others suggested tonight, with that young 18-year-old, they were keen to let me know that story and that they would not be voting for the person who did not engage with them at the door because our young people want to be engaged with politics. That is the message we are all putting out tonight. The vast majority of those to whom I spoke today want to hear their voices and want the vote at 16. They want their voices to be heard at 16. Of course, there were those who felt they were not mature enough and their voices and opinions matter too. The majority of people in that class today and the people to whom I have spoken over the past weeks and months want to hear their voices and for their voices to be heard at 16 and 17. We have, as outlined, a mechanism here to allow that to happen for local and European elections.

In supporting the Bill tonight, a conversation has been had, but we have heard this discussion before. We will hear from the Minister about a postponement or another can being kicked down the road. That is not good news for those young people to whom I spoke today. Whatever can it is, it is heading down the road again. Here we are again, as Senator Warfield just stated. I look forward to what the Minister will say. Perhaps he will change his mind when he hears all of what we have said tonight. I thank Senator Byrne and his colleagues for introducing this Bill. Most importantly, the majority of 16-year-olds to whom I speak daily and weekly want their voices and their vote.