Youth groups have hit out at a government decision to delay a referendum on lowering the voting age.
The referendum on lowering the age to 16 was due to be held this year - but has now been delayed by the general election.
But a cabinet minister denies that the delay is designed to stop young people from voting for the opposition.
A Red C poll for Paddy Power earlier this week showed that 32 per cent of people under 25 would vote for Sinn Féin - with Fine Gael on 20 per cent, Labour on 10, and Fianna Fáil on 18.
Meanwhile the National Youth Council of Ireland has said it would support calls for the referendum to instead be held on the same day as the general election.
The calls come as new figures in Scotland show a quarter of people aged between 16 and 18 have joined political parties in the months since they were given the right to vote in the independence referendum.
Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly filed this report for Today FM's National Lunchtime News:
