The Dáil is due to discuss today whether a referendum should be held to reduce the voting age to 16.
The proposal comes from a private members’ Bill put forward by the Social Democrats.
The “Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Reduction of Voting Age to Sixteen Years) Bill 2025” proposes to amend Article 16 of the Irish Constitution, which currently reads:
“Every citizen without distinction of sex who has reached the age of eighteen years who is not disqualified by law and complies with the provisions of the law relating to the election of members of Dáil Éireann, shall have the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann.”
The Bill proposes replacing “eighteen years” with “sixteen years”, allowing 16-year-olds to vote in Dáil elections.
FINE GAEL JUNIOR MINISTER “KEEN” TO SEE THE MEASURE IMPLEMENTED
Speaking to Gript, Fine Gael Minister of State Neale Richmond said the details of the idea would have to be “teased out”, but that he would personally be “keen” to see such a measure.
“Personally, it is a proposal that I’m quite keen on and I know previous Governments have agreed to look at it,” Richmond said.
“Personally, I like the idea of habit forming – if you vote once you’re likely to keep voting so the idea of being able to register people to vote through school and encourage interest in civic debate I think is a good one.
“However, I know there’s a good bit of opposition to it and it needs to be teased out.
“We should keep an open mind on it. We do need to engage young people – all people – more in the democratic process.”
“TURNOUT IN IRISH ELECTIONS IS PRECARIOUSLY LOW”
Specifically, the Bill was sponsored by Aidan Farrelly TD, the Social Democrats’ spokesman on children.
Defending the proposal, Farrelly said it was “an important piece of legislation designed to give young people a voice in our democratic process.”
“I believe this is of fundamental importance at a time when turnout in Irish elections is precariously low,” he said.
“In fact, research in other countries has shown that young people who are enfranchised at the age of 16 are more likely to vote than those who have to wait until they are 18.”
“PEOPLE AGED 16 AND 17 ARE AS CIVICALLY INFORMED AS THEIR OVER-18 PEERS”
He added that in 2013, the first Report of the Convention of the Constitution “recommended lowering the voting age to 16 in Ireland.”
“Deciding the appropriate age to vote is an issue of fairness, not competence; of equality, not maturity,” he said.
“People aged 16 and 17 are as civically informed as their over-18 peers but are unjustly restricted when it comes to democratic participation.
“I welcome that my Bill will be progressing to second stage in the Dáil this week at a time when similar reform is occurring in the UK, with young people there from the age of 16 set to vote in the next general election.”
The Deputy also added that the measure had come into force in the UK already, and that 16-year-olds were “competent” enough to vote responsibly.
The proposal is set to be debated this evening.
Notably, all Government parties and many opposition parties have endorsed such a proposal in principle in the past, including Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, the Labour Party, Sinn Féin, People Before Profit, the Social Democrats, and many independents.