The Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Mr Willie O'Dea, favours the automatic registration of young people for voting purposes when they reach 18. Following last week's record low turnout of 28 per cent in the Dublin South Central by-election, Mr O'Dea wrote to the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, suggesting a number of changes that might increase voter participation.
Mr O'Dea said local authorities should be obliged to update the register each year; that polling stations be located in shopping centres; that electronic voting be introduced; and that prior to every election there should be a multimedia campaign explaining how to vote and encouraging participation.