asked the Minister for Local Government if, in view of the decisions of several European countries and the United States Government in recent weeks to approve the granting of the franchise at 18 years of age, the Government has any further views on this matter; and if he will state the total number of new electors in the Republic on the electoral register in the event of the voting age being lowered.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Voting Age.
50.
No decision has yet been taken on the question of reducing the voting age, which must be considered in the context of other possible amendments of the Constitution.
It is not possible to state the number of additional persons who would be entitled to be registered as electors as a result of reducing the voting age to 18 but on the basis of information published in volume 2 of the Census of Population, 1966, in relation to the number of persons in the various age groups, it is estimated that the number could be in the region of 140,000.
The Minister was talking a minute ago about his personal policy. He is a youthful Minister not long in the job. What is his personal view about the vote at 18? This is a youthful Cabinet.
My personal view is well known. I am certainly in favour of introducing the vote at 18, not like some of the members of the Deputy's party who were members of the committee set up to review the Constitution and who were against the vote at 18.
Next question.
As the only remaining member of the party—the late Deputy Seán Dunne was the other—may I say that both of us on that committee to review the Constitution were in favour of reducing the voting age to 18 and so was every other member including some from Fianna Fáil who usually are against things like that.
That is not true.
That is another lie that is nailed.
What I have said is true, as the Deputy well knows.