THE REFERENDUM TO reduce the age of presidential candidates has been rejected.

It was defeated by a majority of 891,704. The total valid poll was 1,933,300.

Votes in Favour: 520,898

Votes Against: 1,412,602

The outcome comes as no surprise given that most opinion polls prior to the referendum indicated the measure, which had been recommended by the Constitutional Convention, would be rejected.

Many voters were unaware that the referendum was even taking place when TheJournal.ie hit the streets last month:

It follows a lacklustre campaign by all political parties who were more focussed on the same-sex marriage referendum. There had been criticism of the government for choosing to run this referendum when other proposals had been put forward by the Convention.

Despite support from Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin some of their TDs and Senators indicated they would be voting No.

At least 25 Oireachtas members confirmed to TheJournal.ie that they would be No.

This included a sizeable number of Labour TDs and Senators, with the party officially declining to take any position on the referendum. The Socialist Party argued that the age of eligibility should be reduced to 18.

However, it will now remain at 35.

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Read all of TheJournal.ie‘s presidential age referendum coverage >