Sinn Fein has accused Fianna Fáil of cheap electioneering over a newspaper advertisement urging young people to vote.
Dublin South West councillor Mr Sean Crowe described the advertisement carrying the name of the Minister in charge of youth affairs, Mr Willie O'Dea, as "a transparent election gimmick" to promote Mr O'Dea and Fianna Fáil with taxpayers money.
Mr Crowe said: "Minister O'Dea's defence that it is his job to encourage young people to get involved in political process does not match his government's record."
He said under Mr O'Dea the ministry has failed to implement several key recommendations made in the National Youth Council of Ireland's report.
One of the council's recommendations is that all young people who reach eighteen should automatically registered to vote.