Mr Willie O'Dea, the Minister of State, yesterday opened a multimedia campaign in Limerick to encourage the half-million people aged under 25 in the State to vote in the local and European elections in June.
He conceded that many young people were cynical about the political process as a result of scandals and tribunals and the latest revelations about Mr Charles Haughey. Young people, in particular, believed that it did not matter which way they voted, as it would not benefit their personal welfare.
A National Youth Council of Ireland poll has found that almost half of all voters under 25 might not vote and that 14 per cent of this age group have not even registered.
Mr O'Dea appealed to these young people to ensure that they put themselves on the supplementary electoral register before the deadline of May 24th.
A report published last year by the Referendum Commission, based on a study of referendums on the Belfast Agreement and the Amsterdam Treaty, showed that only 38 per cent of the 18-24 age group had voted. This compares to a turnout of 68 per cent of those over the age of 40 and 75 per cent of voters in the 55-64 age group.
The media campaign will take the form of advertisements in the national newspapers and youth-orientated print media. It will also involve spot advertising on radio stations. The campaign begins next week and will be non-party-political.