Research suggests that many young people in Ireland have little interest in politics.
Politicians eager to engage young people in politics may have their work cut out, according to a poll of students at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT).
The survey revealed that just under half were unable to name the Tánaiste, thirty two per cent would not vote in the next election, and one third believe politics is irrelevant.
Speaking to RTÉ News in Dublin city centre one young woman says politics is not on her radar because
It's just not interesting.
The link between politics and daily life is irrelevant for one young man,
It really has no effect on me anway.
As regards voting in the next election, another young woman will opt out, as
There’s nobody I want to vote for.
Ireland is a democratically stable and prosperous country, and this may be why young people do not concern themselves overly with what happens in Leinster House, maintains Mark Brennock, political correspondent with the Irish Times.
People have a luxury to say, I’m not that interested in politics.
Katie Hannon who is political correspondent with The Examiner, says that the diverse media landscape of today means that a large cohort of the population will not be confronted with any major political story.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 22 June 2000. The reporter is Anthony Murnane.
