Electoral Process

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 November 2023

Thursday, 23 November 2023

Questions (230)

Holly Cairns

Question:

230. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details on the actions he has taken to address the Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations on the combined fifth and sixth periodic reports of Ireland recommendation 18 (d): Act on the State party's previous commitments to hold a referendum on lowering the voting age to 16 years and ensure that a decision to lower the voting age is supported by active citizenship and human rights education, and measures to prevent undue influence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51651/23]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Article 16 of the Constitution states that those who have reached the age of 18 shall have the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann. Articles 12 (relating to the President) and 47 (relating to referendums) state that citizens eligible to vote in Dáil elections are eligible to vote in such polls. Part II of the Electoral Act 1992 provides that a person must be 18 years of age and registered on the register of electors in order to vote in any electoral events. 

The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future – contains a commitment to an examination of the Scottish experience of reducing the voting age, in order to draw conclusions.   

In July, I wrote to An Coimisiún Toghcháin and outlined a number of issues that An Coimisiún might include in its initial research programme, including the commitment in the Programme for Government relating to the voting age. An Coimisiún’s draft research programme, published on 10 November 2023, includes a proposal to examine the issue of the voting age.  I will review this policy area once An Coimisiún has considered and made recommendations on the issue.