Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 April 2023
346. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will an update on any plans of proposed changes to reduce the voting age to 16 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19518/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government – Our Shared Future - contains a specific commitment to "Examine the Scottish experience of reducing the voting age to 17, in order to draw conclusions" within the lifetime of the current Dáil. The Programme for Government also committed to the establishment of a statutory, independent Electoral Commission. This was established on the 9 February this year and is known as An Coimisiún Toghcháin.
Under Chapter 9 of Part 2 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022 An Coimisiún will conduct research on electoral policies and procedures with a view to making recommendations to the Minister and the Government as may be required from time to time. Following its recent establishment, An Coimisiún will be well placed to examine, among other matters, the prospect of reducing the age at which a person would be entitled to vote at elections and referendums held in the State having particular regard to the experience in Scotland as well as in other countries where a reduction in the voting age has taken place.
Any reform of our electoral laws in the future concerning the voting age will have regard to the outcome of any work carried out by An Coimisiún in due course.
