Sir, – The referendum on the age of presidential candidates has been seemingly forgotten. Worse, many see the referendum as a non-issue, leading the public to vote No on that basis alone.
The real issue is not the prospect of some 21-year-old holding the presidency – that decision will be transferred to the electorate if the referendum passes – but rather the latent ageism that permeates the Irish political process.
If a democracy is truly open to all, then there should not be an arbitrary age distinction between those determined competent to vote on the presidency and those determined competent to run for that same position.
The restriction permitting only aged politicians to hold the office is archaic in an increasingly progressive society. There is circularity in the arguments of the No side – by retaining the status quo, we prevent any demonstrable evidence suggesting that anything outside of the status quo is viable. It is this exclusionary reasoning that has underpinned discrimination against other minorities in society for generations.
As a 21-year-old citizen, I echo the sentiment of many others that the Irish political process excludes our youth. Unless we are taken seriously through a substantive change in Irish law, then any statement made toward increasing young people’s engagement in Irish politics is mere rhetoric. – Yours, etc,
GLEN BYRNE,
Dundrum,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – By the age of 32, Michael Collins was old enough to lead the armed struggle against the British, old enough to participate in the subsequent treaty negotiations in London, old enough to serve as finance minister and acting head of government and old enough to die in uniform. Yet in the Ireland of today he would not be old enough to even stand in a presidential election, let alone be president.
On May 22nd the people of Ireland will be asked to extend eligibility for the office of President to those aged between 34 and 21. On a day when it is expected that the people will make a statement in favour of equality on marriage matters, it seems unusual, yet possible, that the people may reject equality for those of a certain age when it comes to matters of state.
The age limits for joining the Defence Forces are 18-34. Precisely the age cohort precluded from even running for the presidency, let alone serving in that office.
It is worth remembering that the path to receiving a nomination to be a candidate for the presidency in this country is a complex and arduous one. Therefore should anyone aged between 34 and 21 come through this process, they would have shown themselves to be of some capacity and capability. Even then it would be the Irish people at a presidential election who would have the ultimate say on that individual’s capacity to be president.
I do not believe that the people of Ireland would accept an upper age limit on eligibility for the presidency. Such a proposition would be met with robust opposition and derision, I suspect. Therefore it is regrettable that some level of passion hasn’t been exercised in this debate. Political parties have turned their backs on this matter. There is still time for this discussion to be aired. – Yours, etc,
JONATHAN HOARE,
Baile Mhic Íre,
Co Cork.