Taoiseach Enda Kenny was accused of betraying young people yet again today. Mr Kenny announced yesterday that no referendum on lowering the voting age from 18 to 16 will take place this year. Fine Gael and Labour promised in 2013 that a public vote on the issue would take place.
The government confirmed yesterday that two referenda will take place: one on gay marriage and another on reducing the age a person needs to be to run for president. Opposition parties were quick to condemn the decision as a ‘betrayal’ while groups representing young people, including the Young Greens and Irish Secondary Level Students’ Union, have expressed their dismay.
There is speculation that the government does not want to give young people the vote because government parties would not benefit from it. The youth vote is largely unfavourable to the government. Allowing 16-year-olds to vote is a contentious issues. Polls show that most voters are against it.