Minister says voting age should be reduced as politician’s debate Electoral Reform Bill

The voting age for elections should be reduced and the new Electoral Commission will be asked to examine the experience in Scotland where it was lowered to 16, a Government minister has said.

Minister of State Malcolm Noonan made the remarks at an Oireachtas committee considering more than 100 amendments to the forthcoming Electoral Reform Bill.

Other issues considered included whether there should be a regulatory framework around opinion polls and broadcast election debates.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan tabled an amendment calling for the new commission — which will be established under the legislation — to review voting entitlements.

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This would include looking at lowering the voting age to 16 and the possibility of extending voting rights to people in the North and immigrants.

He said a 2013 Constitutional Convention recommended that the question of lowering the voting age be put to the people in a referendum but the Government hasn’t acted on it.

Mr O’Callaghan said it is “worth serious consideration” as there are “huge issue that affect young people that aren’t getting a sufficient response in the political system”.

Sinn Féin’s Eoin Ó Broin said the case for extending the right to vote to younger people is “compelling” and “our democracy would be greatly enhanced” if participation by younger people was encouraged.

Labour TD Ged Nash said it would be “eminently sensible” if the issue was the first thing considered by the new Commission as part of its research function.

Mr Noonan said his “personal view” is that the voting age should be reduced as it “would benefit our democracy”.

He said the Committee on Housing and Local Government would have an “important role” in deciding on research topics for the new Commission.

Mr Noonan said he did not intend to legislate to require the Commission to conduct specific pieces of research and Mr O’Callaghan’s amendment was not passed by the committee.

The Minister said he intended to request that the new commission “examines the Scottish experience of lowering he voting age to 16 which could be an important element of informing our consideration of the matter.”

Mr Nash submitted an amendment suggesting that research should be carried out by the Commission into the “best practice standards in the taking of opinion polls”.

He said there was no issue with mainstream polls but raised concern about “rogue polls” on unregulated media that could sway an election campaign.

He also called for research “in relation to a framework for broadcast election debates, including a possible regulatory framework, in order to secure both fairness and impartiality”.

In his response Mr Noonan reiterated that the committee will have a role in deciding the research to be conducted by the commission.

He asked that the amendment not be pressed and Mr Nash agreed.

Sinn Féin TDs proposed a number of changes specifically around the prominence of the Irish language. Among their amendments is one that says 20 per cent of ordinary members appointed to the new Electoral Commission should be competent in the Irish language. Aengus Ó Snodaigh said such a measure would set an example for other State agencies.

Mr Noonan said he appreciated the rationale for the Sinn Féin amendment but the Government does not want to be overly restrictive on the matter.

One element set to be added to the legislation is a Government amendment that would require political parties to make an annual declaration about the properties they own.

[ How will politics change for the voter and for the party under new and long overdue electoral reforms? ]