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“YOU GUYS NEVER protest, if this was France people would be out on the streets in their thousands.” Perhaps my French friend had a point – his country puts us to shame when it comes to a good old-fashioned protest. That said, it’s not as if we don’t pound the pavement when we feel the need.
The recent abortion demonstrations (on both sides of the argument) and marches highlighting the third-level grant debacle are two recent examples of young people putting their money where their megaphone is. Our protests may be less frequent than our Gallic counterparts, but perhaps that’s a sign of our cultural differences as much as anything else.
Activist and journalist Orla Tinsley recently wrote about the seeming absence of the protest gene in Irish young people, saying: “lack of protest does not mean lack of engagement”. Tinsley said this generation’s “sphere of political action is shifting” and now encompasses work with lobby groups, NGOs and online activism as well as more traditional forms of participation such as involvement in student unions and youth divisions of political parties.
As with many issues, a generation gap is also evident. Young people can at times feel politics is a game almost solely played by older, out-of-touch people.
This disconnect was accentuated by the SpunOut.ie ‘threesome scandal’. When Fine Gael TD Michelle Mulherin questioned the fact that a website partially funded by the HSE gave information to young people about threesomes, the Minister of Health James Reilly ordered a review of the site. The comments from the website were taken out of context and the ensuing negative publicity could have easily damaged what is an unparalleled resource for young people in terms of their overall health and wellbeing.
Some of our politicians are actively trying to bridge this type of gap. Our president Michael D Higgins attempted just that when he invited Ireland’s youth community to share their opinions as part of the ‘Being Young and Irish 2012’ project.
The subsequent report was the result of four regional dialogues and incorporated the views of almost 800 contributors ranging in age from 17-26 years. Concerns regarding political reform and accountability, mental health and suicide, the economy, education and equality (particularly in terms of gay marriage and the gender pay divide) all featured.
Initiatives such as this prove that young people want to have their voices heard. It’s also encouraging to see our Head of State take such a proactive role in this regard.
Regional dialogues are a major element of the European Year of Citizens and Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU. A recurring shortcoming at such events has been the lack of young people attending.
When I questioned the Minister for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton about this at the Galway-based dialogue, she said that “every effort is bring made” to get young people interested and partaking.
“I think people often feel that events like this are for politicians or professional lobbyists. It’s difficult to attract people to take the discussion from their living room or local pub to an organised structure like this, but we’re trying,” Minister Creighton stressed. She also noted that young people often don’t attend such events as they feel “less connected” to politics than others.
Minister Creighton insists it can’t all be one-way traffic, though. She feels the Irish Government and EU are creating an environment for the public to share opinions with politicians and it’s up to them to capitalise on that. She said:
“Citizens also have to accept responsibility, you know, we’re not living in a nanny state… You can bring a horse to water but you can’t force it to drink.”
Various political scandals and our current economic woes have increased levels of mistrust in politicians among young people. This does not mean we are apathetic, however.
If anything, the age at which people become politically engaged is decreasing. Many organisations recognise this and are trying to act accordingly. A month ago, the Constitutional Convention recommended the voting age be lowered from 18 years to 16.
Ireland is not the only country debating such a move. Last month, proposed legislation that would reduce the voting age in the Scottish independence referendum to 16 years was formally lodged. Proposals to allow 16 and 17-year-olds vote in EU Parliamentary elections are also currently being considered.
The National Union of Students – Union of Students in Ireland, which represents over 200,000 students in Northern Ireland, called for a reduction in the voting age across the border.
Speaking at the group’s annual conference in Fermanagh, NUS-USI President Adrianne Peltz said it was “grossly unfair” that 16-year-olds could pay taxes but not have a say on how this money is spent. “There is so much disenchantment and disengagement with politics and it is crucial that politics and decision-making reconnects with young people. Delivering the vote at 16 is a key way to do this,” Peltz emphasised.
The National Youth Council of Ireland backs up this view. The organisation believes that lowering the voting age would promote political participation among young people and ensure youth issues are firmly placed on the country’s political agenda.
The insinuation that young people just ‘aren’t bothered’ about politics is insulting and false. True, some young people don’t care what their public representatives are up to – that’s if they even know who they are, but the same could be said for any social grouping.
Austria and certain states in Germany have reduced the voting age to 16. In these places, voter turnout among 16 and 17-year-olds is equal to older age groups.
So to answer that age-old question, do young people care about politics? YES. Our generation has never been more politically aware and engaged. How we choose to involve ourselves may be changing, but we are here – trying to make a difference and have our voices heard.
The horse is at the water and it’s thirsty.
Órla Ryan is an MA Journalism student in NUI Galway. She is one of 25 citizen journalists covering Ireland’s presidency of the EU Council through Youth Media and the Irish Presidency. This article was first published on the YMIP blog.
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I don’t believe that it’s young people in particular, I think the majority of citizens as a whole are apathetic.
It’s always too cold and wet to protest about anything here.
Glad to see she added the young people in the prolife marches bcos according to others on here its only old geriatric who attend
I would argue it’s the politicians who aren’t interested in the young people.
Don’t worry Órla I’m neither young or a student but I feel totally removed and do not trust those engaged in the political process. Dropping the voting age to 16 doesn’t mean anything to be honest they will still ignore you.
And they still won’t vote…..
“politics……played by older, out of touch people.” Sorry Orla, but communication is a two way process. Younger people seem to be out of touch with older ones many of whom are still working, living, paying taxes, supporting their children’s education, paying mortgages etc etc. Please don’t dismiss them so easily.
young protestors are vigorously put down by the state (see robocop incidents), it would seem the Governing mass are more happy to see those who are better equipped at changing the course of our nation to emmigrate,,complimented by only allowing the armed forces and the Gardai to vote whilst out of the country,
In Ireland? Not really. Look at how protests are handled on other EU countries, the Irish polices are not particularly brutal or violent on comparison.
Soldiers and the handful of Gardaí who are overseas on UN or EU missions get a vote because they’re only gone for 6 months, you can’t say the same about emigrants.
As a young protester the gardai are generally very good when we protest I’ve never had any problem with them.
I think young people should be allowed to vote. I would have some reservations about them being informed enough for political voting and mature enough for referendums. These are nothing when compared to the reservations I have about politicians who have saddled the next four generations with debt and continue to behave in exactly the same manner with unregulated access to money, un-vouched expenses and junkets at the expense of young people. The government seem to be of the opinion that 12-22 year olds have feck all living expenses and need no help; so maybe it is only right that if the state treats them like an adult, they should do so in every regard.
I have reservations about how informed and mature the general public is with regards many a political and social issue.
Agree with Alan on that. Two recent examples of adults not having a clue what they’re voting for were people voting Sean Gallagher for president because he could create jobs better and those insisting Fine Gael broke a pro-life promise when their manifesto clearly states they were going to do exactly what they have done this year.
I used too be young, was great
If 16 year olds get the vote most of them will just vote for who the Mammy tells them to.
Olra dont dispear of the young. The good will leave and make a success of themselves else where. The usless ones will leave their “careers” to become politicians.
I genuinely believe that the 3 big party’s are scared of their wits to give voting rights to 16/17 year olds right now, as this would be a voting bloc, that vote along the same lines as their 18-21 year old counterparts.
That voting bloc in the last 5-10 years vote against the establishment partys. Look to the NUI political groupings as an example. FF/FG/Labour are competing against SF and others, and do not hold the same percentage of alignments as they do in the 60+ age groups.
I also feel that the big three (i know labour will be almost exterminated at the next election, based on the opinion polls of the last 2 years) are also entrenched in their positioning in their refusal to give Irish passport holders, that are forced to emigrate, a vote in General Elections, for fear of a justified backlash.
Democracy is only allowed in this state, if the Democracy suits and is approving of the Establishment partys. Any change in the status quo voting blocs is definitely going to be put on a very very long finger.
Orla, you wrote a very interesting and worthwhile Column, well done. I just hope that people will rethink their position on ‘ignoring’ 16-17 year olds.
Recent polls have showed that the most popular party amongst 18-35 yr olds is Fianna Fail.
The voting age was lowered to sixteen in Austria a few years ago. I heard a girl involved in the campaign there speak about it, it was really interesting. You might expect young people to be much more radical but as it turned out young people tended to vote in much the same way as older generations.
She also spoke about how starting to vote at a younger age was better because so much happens when you are 18, like you finish school, (may) start college, move out of home and so on. At 16 you have a bit less going on, a bit more stability, and might be more inclined to vote. Research she spoke about (can’t remember who by, sorry) showed that whether you vote or not the first time you are entitled to sets a pattern for whether you will vote or not in subsequent elections.
At 16 here most people are probably as tuned into politics as they’re going to be in school, after CSPE to junior cert. You have to pay taxes on income at 16, but don’t have a vote on how they’re used. You can (legally) have sex at 17, with all its potentially life-changing consequences, but aren’t considered mature enough to vote until a year later? And also, there’s a lower minimum wage for under 18s which people under 18 have no say about.
We should lower the age to 16 here as well.
It’d be better that young people have a bit more life experience first. If I was allowed vote at 16 as with the rest of my class, I’d would have begun my voting life voting Sinn Féin ( as one of our teachers who was well liked and influencial took liberty to convince us of his political affiliations with us as a captive audience) , or on the other hand I could have voted for Liam Lawlor because his son was in our class and Lawlor brought us all on school tours to the Dáil.
Youth can corrupt themselves enough without having political candidates handing out candy at the school gates.
Voting Sinn Féin is a perfectly valid choice, if you think they’ll represent you best. It’s not as though 16-18 year olds would be the only group influenced by the political opinions of people around them either. And captive audience works two ways, it’d be easier to arrange for all the candidates to meet young people if they could do so through their school, which might make the politicians pay a bit more attention to them.
@Ciara
Yes, and one can also begin using the contraceptive pill at 16. (At least they used to, dunno if that changed with the age of consent changing also.)
The Irish don’t protest in public! That would be rude. They go to the pub and talk about protesting..
Some of you may be a bit disconnected from the younger generation today. When I was young I was a member of YFG and was very interested in politics, as were some my classmates. Obviously, most of my friends weren’t interested but you would be surprised how many teenagers are interested in politics and have opinions on certain issues.
I posted a few longer comments before and they never showed up so I don’t bother my ass now.
… http://youtu.be/4uEj6CIvnKs < Singalong.
price of naggins and car insurance, that’s how you get the youth vote.
Why would any self respecting young person want to stay in such a shit hole, never mind take an interest in Irish politics.
It’s never a good idea to give a teenager too much responsibility.
Justin Bieber for Taoiseach!
Maybe its just that our Youth aren’t interested in the Political Ideology offered in the New Ireland , Maybe they dont like the EU and therefore dont engage in Irish Politics which is all about the advancement of the Empire and expansion of the German Living Space or Lebensraum .
Can I buy some of whatever you’re on?
16 year olds, for the most part, don’t know their a*se from their elbow and couldn’t give a rats about politics.
Given that there was only 35% voter turn out in Meath East and that a brainless Fine Gael “yes woman” sauntered into office, I would have to say Jeff that that is true of the entire electorate. Not just the kids.
As a 39 year old, I think that 16 year olds should be allowed to vote, for if they had the vote the issues of Youth Services & Suicide Prevention would be dealt with more comprehensively.
OK, it is clarified: youngsters are as complicit in electing our defunct governments. We should weep for the future then.
Kidding, I like youngsters, they’ll do something useful (in the countries where they will emigrate).
Voting the person who makes the best promises into office and then expecting them to work for your interests is extremely naive. Everyone who gets involved in politics does so because they want power over others. They wear the coat of wanting to serve, but that’s what wolves have always done to take advantage of sheep. Perhaps the young are finally waking up to this and therefore want no part in it?
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