
'The world doesn't fall apart when young people are given the chance to vote'
Eighteen years as a youth worker in Kildare and Dublin has given me insights into the minds of our young people.
They're insights which I'm privileged to be privy to, and it's this experience which compelled me to progress legislation to reduce the voting age to 16.
Over the years I've learned that those aged 16 and 17 are as civically informed as their peers aged 18 and over, sometimes even more so, but they are unjustly restricted when it comes to democratic participation.
When working with some of these young people, I would conduct mock votes mirroring real world elections and referenda, the results from which would often align – it became clear to me that their opinions were as valid as mine, yet only I could see mine reflected in our parliament and statute books, in the policies that shape our day to day life.
After all, it's as much their future at stake as much as anyone else's when it comes to the outcome of elections – if anything, this age group has more life to live, more future experiences which will be affected by the policies of today.
If one can work full time and pay taxes, it is only fair to afford that person with the formal opportunity to influence how these taxes are spent, both locally and nationally.
'No taxation without representation' comes to mind, and the fact that this cohort is still excluded from its principle.
One of the recommendations to come out of the 2012-2014 Convention on the Constitution was to reduce the voting age to 16 – this is not a new idea.
Some of our nearest neighbours have voting ages of 16. In Scotland, 16-year-olds had the option to vote in their referendum for independence in 2014, while in Wales, they have the opportunity to vote in elections.
The world doesn't fall apart when young people are offered the opportunity to vote.
Our last government was to consider reducing the age limit in time for the Local and European Elections in 2024, but failed to do so – my bill seeks to facilitate this process in time for this year's Presidential Election.
Like the 35-40% of people aged over 18 who choose not to vote, many aged 16 and 17, if afforded the opportunity, will also choose not to. However, it's the diversity of opinions offered from those who will partake in our democracy that will provide greater foundations for our country going forward.
These are the many thousands who care about their communities and society, who are as passionate about politics, public administration and civic duty as their older peers.
Like the Convention on the Constitution, my introducing of this bill has drummed up conflicting opinions – the three most prominent arguments I've heard to continue to restrict the voting age to eighteen are that it overburdens teenagers with an extra responsibility, that it raises questions of whether they should then be tried as an adult in court, and, simply, that anyone under eighteen is too immature to have the vote.
Firstly, if a referendum on this change resulted in a positive outcome, it only enables those who want to vote to do so – the last thing a civically engaged 16 or 17-year-old needs is the state telling them that they're unable to shoulder the weight of a responsibility they know they're more than ready for.
In relation to whether they should be tried as adults in court, which I've astoundingly been asked more than a few times, this is a complete false equivalence.
There is no relation between the ability to vote and how you should be tried, otherwise those at the ballot boxes would be treated differently in the courts than those who abstain – this question is barely worth entertaining, and that is before considering its blatant lack of regard for basic child protection principles and international best practice.
The question of maturity is the most common, and to that I say get out and volunteer in a youth group, a sports club or a summer camp – I've had conversations with 16 and 17-year-olds about politics where I've learned more than a thing or two, conversations that many of my peers could do with listening to.
This is an opportunity to tell the 16 and 17-year-olds of Ireland that they and their voices are valued, that they're trusted, that their insight is important to the present, not just the future, of this country.
Deciding the age to vote is an issue of fairness, not competence; of equality, not maturity.
This bill is my first as a TD, and one of inherent importance to me as a citizen of Ireland, a youth worker, and a father. We should not undermine the potential and ability of young people to play an essential role in our society.
Aidan Farrelly TD is the Social Democrats spokesperson for Children, Equality and Youth

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Liberal candidate Lee Jae-myung is projected to win a sweeping victory in South Korea 's snap presidential election, with exit polls suggesting he will take more than 50 per cent of the vote. The election, which saw the highest turnout since 1997, could herald a foreign policy shift for one of the United States' closest allies in the Asia-Pacific region. An exit poll conducted by South Korea's three biggest broadcasters showed Lee winning 51.7 per cent of the vote, more than 12 points ahead of his conservative rival. The election marks a dramatic turnaround for the 64-year-old lawyer, who lost the presidential election in 2022 by less than 1 per cent of the vote, the narrowest margin in the country's history. The election was triggered by the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol , the conservative president who declared martial law last December before revoking the order six hours later. Kim Moon-soo, the conservative People Power Party candidate, struggled to escape his party's association with Yoon, which alienated some centrist voters. Another conservative candidate, Lee Jun-seok from the New Reform Party, conceded defeat on Tuesday night after the exit poll predicted he would receive just 7.7 per cent of the vote. He had been under pressure to withdraw in favour of Kim in order to unite the conservative vote but he said he did not regret his decision to stay in the race. READ MORE 'Unification was never something we seriously considered,' he said. 'Judging by the results, the burden now facing the conservative bloc is to prioritise innovation over mere alliances.' South Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung at the Democratic Party headquarters in Seoul. Photograph: Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images Lee Jae-myung framed the election as an opportunity to restore South Korea's democratic norms and strengthen its institutions after what he described as Yoon's attempted coup. But his critics have accused Lee himself of displaying dictatorial tendencies after he proposed a reform of the judiciary that could more than triple the number of supreme court justices. Lee has promised a reset of South Korea's relations with China and Russia that could see a more friendly approach than that adopted by Yoon. And he wants to restore lines of communication with North Korea, although he has acknowledged that progress may be limited after Pyongyang abandoned its aspiration to unite the peninsula and declared South Korea its primary enemy. US president Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on South Korean imports, and one of Lee's first challenges will be to negotiate a better deal with Washington. He will also seek to persuade Trump not to reduce the US military presence in South Korea as Seoul faces demands from the White House to contribute more to its own defence. [ Lee Jae-myung: The man set to take over South Korea's turbulent democracy Opens in new window ] Born into poverty in a remote mountain village in the east of the country, Lee skipped secondary school to work in a factory, where an industrial accident caused a permanent injury to his arm at the age of 13. He went back to school later, winning a scholarship to university to study law and going on to work as a human rights lawyer. A former mayor of Seongnam, a city of one million people, and governor of Gyeonggi province, Lee has faced investigations for corruption, bribery and conflicts of interest. Last November, he was convicted of making false statements during the 2022 presidential election campaign but the conviction was overturned by the Seoul high court in March. Lee survived an assassination attempt last year when he was stabbed during a visit to a construction site; he wore a bulletproof vest while campaigning during this year's election. He will take office immediately after the election result is confirmed and will serve with a cabinet appointed by Yoon until he makes his own nominations.


Irish Times
31-05-2025
- Irish Times
Lee Jae-myung: The man set to take over South Korea's turbulent democracy
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Extra.ie
28-05-2025
- Extra.ie
Frances Black lifts the lid on Presidential Election 'rumours'
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