Ireland’s newly appointed Minister for Education and Youth has previously said that she is opposed to lowering the voting age to 16, and stressed that young people must receive proper “civics” education in school to understand how the political system works.
On Tuesday morning this week, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe declared his intention to step down from his ministerial role and as a TD in order to assume a high-level position at the World Bank. In response, a cabinet reshuffle ensued, which saw Fine Gael Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton promoted to the more senior position of Minister for Education and Youth.
She is taking over from her party colleague Helen McEntee, who is now being moved from the Department of Education to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Defence.
Notably, in March of this year, speaking to Gript, Naughton said that she believed the education system should inform young people about “civics”, but that the voting age should not be lowered from 18, because the current age was “appropriate” as it stands.
“My personal view is that 18 is the appropriate age [to vote],” she said.
She added: “But I think we need to be – and it’s happening – preparing our young people for the democratic process.”
She said that she thought it was “positive” that young people were being taught about the political system in the classroom.
“I think it’s important that we go back to – I’m showing my age now – civics in school,” she said.
“I think it’s really important that young people have an understanding around how our democracy works here in Ireland – how the Dáil works, how the Seanad works.”
She pointed to Comhairle na nÓg as a “really good example” of the “democratic process in action”, as well as bringing young people into the Dáil and Seanad to teach them about the legislative process and teach them that they could potentially run for office one day in the future.
The Minister’s appointment comes as a private members bill by the Social Democrats is working its way through the Oireachtas, with an aim of reducing the voting age to 16 for general elections. This would require a Constitutional referendum.
Earlier this year, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he wouldn’t rule out such a measure, while Tánaiste Simon Harris seemed more reluctant, saying he wasn’t sure it was the right time to discuss such a change.