Latest news with #JodieMcCormack
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Let kids be kids or should teens be heard? Our writers divided on voting age debate as electoral overhaul splits opinion
LAST week Britain moved to lower the voting age to 16 in all UK elections. It was a major overhaul of the country's democratic system that immediately split opinion over whether they should or would cast ballots. 5 Globally, most countries have a voting age of 18 Credit: Getty Images - Getty 5 Changes have been proposed to boost participation and trust in the electoral system Credit: Getty Images - Getty The proposed changes were designed to boost participation and trust in the electoral system, which suffered its lowest turnout at the But in last year's European Parliament elections, So should In The Irish Sun today, reporter JODIE McCORMACK and Political Correspondent ADAM HIGGINS argue both sides. FOR - JODIE MCCORMACK 5 Jodie McCormack says being young 'does not equate to being uninterested in politics' Credit: Collect IN 2016 Ireland held a General Election and in 2018 the Referendum on the regulation of termination of pregnancy took place. I voted in neither, despite the direct impacts both would have on my future as a young woman in Ireland. Had the voting age been lowered to 16 at the time, I would have been first in line at the polls. With the While cynics may argue 16 and 17-year-olds are too young to form a valid political opinion, we already trust them to pay tax through part-time Simon Harris 'does not expect' poll on Irish unity in this decade Many will move away from home to start college, work or apprenticeships and rent their first property having never voted in this country. Politics and society was introduced as a Leaving Cert subject in 2016, with the first exam sat in 2018. In 2022 Norma Foley, then Minister for Education confirmed 2,261 pupils sat the subject in 2019, 3,476 in 2020 and 4,084 in 2021. Steadily increasing numbers which could be further increased if all senior cycle students had the opportunity to vote, not just the handful of 18-year-olds in 6th year. The interest is there from Ireland's young people and now is the time for that interest to be heard. Jodie McCormack This also gives Being young does not equate to being uninterested in politics. The Central Statistics Office report a voter turnout of 50 per cent in the 2022 General Election in the 18-25 age category. In 2024, Both didn't have a vote just a handful of years before that. The evidence is clear, the interest is there from Ireland's young people and now is the time for that interest to be heard. AGAINST - ADAM HIGGINS 5 Adam Higgins says he 'can't imagine many 16-year-olds are even interested in voting' Credit: Crispin Rodwell - The Sun Dublin CAN we not let kids be kids anymore? Why are we rushing to ask teenagers to start making important decisions about who should run the country when they barely know who they are as a person yet? At 16, kids should mainly be worried about their I don't think it is fair to put it on 16-year-olds to help decide what direction the country should go in. GROUPS TARGETED In the run up to elections, politicians and their PR machines specifically target different groups in a bid to win votes. In the past it was solely through clever slogans, policy proposals and quotes in media interviews and at press events. However, increasingly politicians are using Do we really want our teenagers' social media pages bombarded with messages from political parties of all hues warning them about all the things that are wrong in the country and how they are the only ones that can fix it? Surely there's an easier way to increase voter turnout than lowering the voting age? Adam Higgins This is a time when we are constantly reading about rising levels of anxiety and mental health issues in our young people. Social media is often blamed as one of the main reasons for this – do we really want to throw politics into that mix? I think it is important to get more people into politics and try increase engagement with the system. But surely there's an easier way to increase voter turnout than lowering the voting age? WHO BENEFITS? What about automatic voter registration for every citizen over the age of 18? I think we also have to consider who would benefit from this change. I can't imagine many 16-year-olds are even interested in voting. How many of you reading this now were engaged in politics when you were 16? Some teens are really passionate about it already and they would probably make great TDs, let alone voters. But for the majority of teens, they will probably just listen to their parents and vote for whomever they vote for. Let's leave our teenagers with two more years of life experience before we ask them to form an opinion about the future of the country. 5 Should Ireland allow people to vote from the age of 16? Credit: Getty Images - Getty
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Make the most of Swiss getaway in 2-city trip with famous lake, mountain train ride, Fifa HQ & Olympic Games museum
RIGHT now, Switzerland has the eyes of football fans all over the world on it as the country hosts this year's Women's Euros. Before 6 Switzerland was well worth the short visit Credit: Alamy 6 My adventure began with an early flight from Dublin Airport to Geneva Credit: Getty Images - Getty 6 We ate on a terrace over Lake Geneva at The Lacustre Credit: Jodie McCormack / The Irish Sun And while My adventure began with an early flight from The Ibis brand operates a range of hotels across Europe, categorised into Ibis Budget, Ibis Styles, and standard Ibis hotels. Each Ibis Styles hotel features a themed interior inspired by its location, and Geneva's is comic books. Read more in Travel Each room features a mural designed by local artists, giving the walls a vibrant comic book style and the hallways are equally striking, resembling an art gallery with colourful sketches and designs. The curtains are cleverly designed so that guests sitting by the windows appear to be in a comic book when viewed from the street – a fantastic touch that adds to the hotel's unique character. One of the perks for travellers to the city is that those staying in approved accommodation are entitled to free public transport - ibis was included, so we boarded a tram free of charge and then headed out to Lausanne on a 35-minute train ride. After a short walk from the train station we were standing on the banks of the world-famous Lake Geneva. Most read in The Irish Sun The Olympic museum overlooks the water. It is surrounded by amazing grounds, refreshments are available and you can try your luck at sports including the 100m race or the shotput. Inside there was a range of unseen snapshots from the 2024 Olympics, which I found so interesting, having listened to so much about the games given Ireland's success last summer. 6 All eyes are on Switzerland as the country hosts this year's Women's Euros Credit: Maja Hitij - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images 6 The Olympic museum also featured memorabilia from both summer and winter games Credit: Alamy 6 I travelled to Zurich for the second part of my Switzerland adventure Credit: Alamy There were also the Olympic torches dating back decades, including the 2024 one. How many people can say they've held the Olympic torch? Now, I can. The museum also featured memorabilia from both summer and winter games, including old kits, shoes, and equipment. children under 15 can visit free while adults' tickets work out at around €21.40. For dinner we went to The Lacustre, just a 15-minute walk from the museum, where we ate on a terrace over Lake Geneva. The restaurant had a great range of pastas, burgers and meat dishes along with delicious cocktails. I went for the garlic oil pasta, which I tucked into as we watched ships come and go against the background of blue water and mountains. WALKING TOUR After sleeping like a baby in the hotel and having a refreshing wash in the waterfall shower it was time for day two. Fuelled by a buffet-style breakfast of pastries and traditional Swiss bircher muesli, we set out on a walking tour of Geneva with a local tour guide. This was a great way to explore the area with someone in the know. The highlight was visiting the Jet d'Eau de Genève, a large fountain that shoots 500 litres of water per second to 150 metres. HOP ON A TRAIN It is the city's most famous landmark and located where Lake Geneva exits as the Rhone river. Saying goodbye to Geneva, it was time to hop on a train to Zurich for the second part of my Departing from Renens VD, we embarked on the three-hour train ride through the Swiss countryside. Don't let the journey time put you off as it is a great way to see the magnificent mountains and quaint towns of Switzerland, all from the comfort of your seat. BUDGET-FRIENDLY A 15-minute tram ride from the train station took us to Ibis Zurich City West, the second hotel of our stay. While this is a more budget-friendly hotel, it shares facilities and even a lobby area with the four-star Novotel next door. And guests of the Ibis hotel can use facilities such as the pool, gym and sauna for a small daily fee, meaning you get the benefits of a four-star hotel without forking out for the whole stay. On our second walking tour of the day we visited the Lindenhof, a must-see park to take in breathtaking panoramic views of the city. SEE EVERYTHING You can see everything from City Hall and the Limmat river to the Old Town and Grossmünster church. After a long day of exploring, it was back to the hotel for dinner at FLAVE, a shared restaurant between Ibis and Novotel, where we shared a delicious meat platter among the table before opting for a mouthwatering steak for mains. The meals were reasonably priced at between €20 to €30. The next morning brought the highlight of our trip, the Fifa museum, which houses more than 1,000 exhibits of both men and women's soccer across several floors. The Women's Euros 2025 is running in eight venues across the country until July 27, with 16 teams competing. MUST-VISIT And with Switzerland home to both the Fifa headquarters and the Olympic headquarters it is a must-visit for sports lovers, especially if you're quick and can catch one of the Euros matches. Given the fact the Women's Euros are on, I was delighted to see such a focus on women's soccer in the museum. A pop-up exhibition is running until August 17 called The History of Women's Football in Switzerland, detailing key moments in the game over the years. The museum is extremely interactive and great for young children, with a whole skills lab dedicated to testing out your various sporting skills, this could keep even adults entertained for hours. LAST OUTING Tickets are just €15 for kids and €27.73 for adults when booked online. To mark my last outing in Switzerland, I headed to Zeughauskeller, a traditional eatery in Zurich. On my server's recommendation, I opted for Vaudois Saucisson with potato rosti, priced at €31. The rosti, a cross between a hash brown and roast potato, paired perfectly with the pork sausage smoked in bacon and white wine. As a somewhat picky eater I was blown away by just how delicious the meal was. However, after ending on a high note it was time to head back to the hotel and jump in a taxi to the airport, but with just three days there, I learned a lot about Switzerland — and a lot more about sport. GO: GENEVA AND ZURICH GET THERE: I flew from Dublin to Geneva with Aer Lingus on the way over and back with Air France in June for less than €300 return. STAY THERE: Ibis Styles Genéve Carouge rates start from €166 per night for a room. DO THERE: A walk by Lake Geneva in Lausanne is a must. The city offers so many little stores to pop in for a coffee or cold drink, and just stroll around at your leisure. EAT/DRINK THERE: Café Dessiné at Ibis Styles Genéve Carouge - you are in Switzerland so make sure to try their sweet treats.
