A parliamentary education programme, due to be piloted in schools over the coming months, was formally launched by Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue and Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin yesterday.
The half-day programme has been devised by the Houses of the Oireachtas in consultation with educationalists.
It is intended that the programme will be rolled out in all schools from September as part of the Civil, Social and Political Education (CSPE) curriculum.
Speaking to a group of 150 children and staff in Cabinteely Community School, Mr O'Donoghue said "politicians and educators are working together to ensure that young people emerging from our schools to become voters for the first time have a very good knowledge of the institutions whose members they are electing".
He said politicians of all parties acknowledged that there was a level of voter apathy in Irish society.
Some people clearly felt they could afford to be indifferent to politics in a stable democracy like ours.
"But events in Burma today, in South Africa in recent history and in this country before independence show this is not the case: democracy must never be taken for granted."
He said that research commissioned by the Houses of the Oireachtas had shown that 60 per cent of people do not regard the work of the Oireachtas as important. A fifth could not even try to describe what the Oireachtas actually does.
Ms Hanafin said: "The parliamentary education programme will give second-level students a practical understanding and insight into the work of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
"It will enhance the CSPE curriculum which aims to encourage students to become aware of their communities, to develop a sense of belonging, and to become active citizens."
