Teenagers as young as 16 should be allowed to vote in elections in Northern Ireland and to have representatives on District Policing Partnership Boards, it was claimed today.
The leader of the Green Party in the North, Mr John Barry, said a proposal to lower the voting age from 18 at the next General Election could help address voter apathy.
Responding to a consultation being conducted by the Electoral Commission, Mr Barry said: "We in the Green Party welcome the fact that the Government is finally looking into this matter seriously.
"This is a great opportunity to help tackle political apathy by encouraging younger people to feel involved in our democracy ... reducing the voting age to 16 will help capture the enthusiasm that many 16 and 17-year-olds have for voicing their vision of our society's future."
A consultation paper from the Electoral Commission has also asked political parties and interest groups to consider if the minimum age for election candidates should be reduced.
Mr Barry today noted that 16-year-olds could vote in Bosnia and some regions in Germany and Austria.
The minimum voting age is 17 in East Timor, Indonesia, North Korea, the Seychelles and the Sudan, and in Iran it is 15.
The Green Party leader continued: "At 16, people have to make life-shaping decisions.
"If they are continuing in education they should have the right to have a say through the ballot box about how their education is funded and organised.
"If they are working they should have the right to express their views in casting their vote on how much they should be taxed and what their taxes should be spent on.
Mr Barry also suggested young people should be represented on District Policing Partnership Boards because a lot of police time was spent dealing with anti-social behaviour by other young people.
"It is important that there be representation from young people to help deal with these problems," the North Down Green Party representative continued.
"Just as it was welcome that there was 50/50 gender equality in the appointment of these new policing boards, it is important that we include young people in this new start for policing in Northern Ireland."
PA