FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheál Martin says he would be in favour of reducing the voting age in Ireland to just 16.
Martin was speaking to students at Presentation Secondary School Tralee on Monday morning where he was asked about his views about the youth vote and gender balance in politics, according to the Irish Examiner.
When pushed on how he would encourage more young people to use their vote, he said: "Personally, I would reduce the voting age to 16."
Addressing a question about encouraging more women to become involved in politics he said: "We have quotas for general elections, which is helpful.
"It's giving a push behind parties to have more women."
The official voting age in Ireland has been set at 18-years-old ever since the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Act 1972 was passed - which reduced it from 21.
It isn't the first time a discussion about whether or not to lower the voting age in Ireland has happened.
In 2013, the Constitutional Convention was asked to consider reducing the voting age to 17 and recommended lowering it to 16.
The government agreed to hold a referendum on the issue, but in 2015 postponed it indefinitely to give priority to other referendums.
