Ireland's leading youth organisation welcomes referendum on lowering voting age

Foróige-Notinuse's picture
Foróige-Notinuse July 10, 2013
  • Ireland’s leading youth organisation welcomes referendum on lowering voting age
  • Young people are available for interview on the issue

Foróige, Ireland's leading youth organisation, has welcomed the Government’s commitment to hold a referendum on the issue of lowering the voting age from 18 to 16.

Foróige CEO Seán Campbell said: “We welcome the announcement today by the Government to accept the recommendation of the Constitutional Convention and to hold a referendum to reduce the voting age to 16. Over the past number of years, there has been a widespread call to grant voting rights to 16 and 17 year olds who currently have significant rights and responsibilities but who are denied the right to formal participation in the political system.

“Foróige believes that young people have a right to have a say and influence over decisions that affect them and reducing the voting age to 16 will be a great step forward in achieving this.”

17-year-old Foróige member Roisín Finan has also welcomed the announcement, saying that young people should be entitled to have a say in forming a Government.

“Many 16 year olds are now working part time, paying taxes to the Government and are expected to pay adult prices on certain things such as buses and trains and as such should be entitled to have a say in forming the Government at election time through the use of a vote.

“Added to that, if the voting age is reduced to 16, politicians would be more inclined to repect and listen to younger people and work harder to invest in youth facilities and education if they wanted their vote.”