The Government’s decision not to hold a referendum to lower the voting age to 16 has been attacked by Sinn Féin and the Greens.

The Greens have accused the Coalition of betraying disenfranchised young voters who had hoped to participate in the next election.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the decision meant the Government parties wanted to treat the constitutional convention as “a sham, a sop, set up to pretend they were listening when, in fact they were doing the opposite and acting out of sheer self-interest”.

Sinn Féin councillor Chris Andrews said lowering the voting age had the potential to introduce much-needed positive change to the political system.