age

byrne-himself

I am getting a bit wound up lately but this whole ''18'' thing, i am 17 at the mo but have noticed how much more you can do at the age of 18, drive, drink (legally) and vote, but the question is, should it be lower or higher?

for example, but in America you can drive at 16, you can get a gun at 18, but you can't drink until 21!?! it seems strange to have such varying laws in two western countries,

any comments or other strange, or humorous age related laws any one can think of?

challengemaster

You can drive at 17, and can drive some vehicles younger than that. Eg. Tractors

byrne-himself

well a provisional at 17, in the car with a person with a full licence, i mean to be able to get a full licence, probably should have made that clearer

Pigwidgeon

i'm 17, have my own car and full driving license, i'm that awesome. :pac: passed my test just over 7 months after i turned 17.

and no, my parents didn't pay for my car or insurance, i saved up/used some money that had been left to me.

tolosenc

Voting age needs to be raised. I'd support pushing the drinking age up to 21 too.

Fad

I think the voting age should probably be 21.

Drinking age? No, dont change it:) Its ineffective already, dont make it worse!

KeyLimePie

I think it's fine the way it is

And just so ye know, it's optional to sell spirits to under 21 year olds =p

challengemaster

byrne-himself wrote: »

well a provisional at 17, in the car with a person with a full licence, i mean to be able to get a full licence, probably should have made that clearer

You obviously still have no clue then. You can have your full license while you're 17.

JC 2K3

Drinking age should be 16, voting age should be 21.

seanybiker

ya should be allowed drink at any age. I love drinking i do.
Voting i couldnt be arsed about, i never vote.

byrne-himself

challengemaster wrote: »

You obviously still have no clue then. You can have your full license while you're 17.

well i dont know where you live, but ever since june 2008, when the driving laws changed it isn't possible to get a full licence until you are 18, i have been tryin here and you can't except for a provisional, maybe they just don't like us in wicklow lol:D

Fad

byrne-himself wrote: »

well i dont know where you live, but ever since june 2008, when the driving laws changed it isn't possible to get a full licence until you are 18, i have been tryin here and you can't except for a provisional, maybe they just don't like us in wicklow lol:D

Thay just dont like you, you just have to have a provisional for 6 months, then you can apply for a test for the full license.

Des23

byrne-himself wrote: »

well i dont know where you live, but ever since june 2008, when the driving laws changed it isn't possible to get a full licence until you are 18, i have been tryin here and you can't except for a provisional, maybe they just don't like us in wicklow lol:D

I dont know about that, I got my full liscence aged 17 and 6 months on july 4th.... I also know planty of people who have their full liscence and still are not 18. You simply have had to have your provisional for 6 months before you can do your test, thats it.

KnifeWRENCH

Don't agree that the voting age should be 21 - if people are legally considered adults at 18 then they should be able to have a say in how the country is run.

Piste

I think if people are paying taxes full stop they should be able to vote, but I don't think people under 18 should be allowed vote, so basically I don't think people under 18 should be taxed (income tax, not VAT).

I'm happy enough will how things are a the moment though.

Pigwidgeon

byrne-himself wrote: »

well i dont know where you live, but ever since june 2008, when the driving laws changed it isn't possible to get a full licence until you are 18, i have been tryin here and you can't except for a provisional, maybe they just don't like us in wicklow lol:D

not true at all, started driving may last year, sat my test in wicklow in december and got my full licence, still 17

challengemaster

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Drinking age should be 16

[sarcasm]
Cos the teens of ireland have showed they're responsible enough for it to be that?[/sarcasm] Or because that the Gardai are a shower of useless so and so's, it's not enforced, and nobody gives a flying fluck and drinks anyway?.

Doesn't matter what the age is unless its actually enforced. And there's about as much chance of that happening as earth colliding with the sun in the next hour.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

challengemaster wrote: »

[sarcasm]
Cos the teens of ireland have showed they're responsible enough for it to be that?[/sarcasm] Or because that the Gardai are a shower of useless so and so's, it's not enforced, and nobody gives a flying fluck and drinks anyway?.

Doesn't matter what the age is unless its actually enforced. And there's about as much chance of that happening as earth colliding with the sun in the next hour.

Yup. Seriously, it's a deeply embedded cultural thing, Irish people will drink no matter what obstacles are placed in their way or no matter how bad an idea it clearly is. The price could double and the drinking age could be 25 and you still probably couldn't throw a stone into a field without hitting a bunch of pissed 16 year olds

challengemaster

Throwing stones at drunk 16 year olds in fields, you say?

My my...that sounds like a fun hobby.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

challengemaster wrote: »

Throwing stones at drunk 16 year olds in fields, you say?

My my...that sounds like a fun hobby.

Well the legal implications of cow-tipping make it toooootally not worth it, gotta do something when you live in the sticks though

Crumble Froo

Piste wrote: »

I think if people are paying taxes full stop they should be able to vote, but I don't think people under 18 should be allowed vote, so basically I don't think people under 18 should be taxed (income tax, not VAT).

I'm happy enough will how things are a the moment though.

interesting, i quite like those ideas.

i hated how you are allowed to work at 16, but not entitled to min wage until you're 18. sucks working at a till, when there's 3 other people there doing the exact same job, and cos you're 3 months younger, you're only on a fraction of what they are. absolute bull.

and as for the people paying taxes thing... does that apply for foreign people on temporary visas? ive been living and working in nz for over a year, paying my 19% tax, but im certainly not allowed vote, and, in all honesty, don't think i should be allowed to. (although really really wish i could have at the last elections, people who won are absolute prats)

phasers

Changing the voting age is stupid, there's a lot of uninformed idiots over the age of 21 too you know... There should be a test on current events administered before a person can vote.

JC 2K3

That's not democracy...

byrne-himself

Fad wrote: »

They just don't like you, you just have to have a provisional for 6 months, then you can apply for a test for the full license.

i think i agree with you, they probably just don't want me on the road!:D

cooperguy

Piste wrote: »

I think if people are paying taxes full stop they should be able to vote, but I don't think people under 18 should be allowed vote, so basically I don't think people under 18 should be taxed (income tax, not VAT).

Why exactly, you benefit from what the taxes pay for so why shouldnt you pay towards it if you are earning money?

JC 2K3

Generally, people under 18 aren't taxed, are they?

Fad

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Generally, people under 18 aren't taxed, are they?

If you're a full time student I think you can claim the tax back (Summer work anyway).

p1akuw47h5r3it

Fad wrote: »

If you're a full time student I think you can claim the tax back (Summer work anyway).

Everyone can claim back tax.

It wasn't me!

Piste wrote: »

I think if people are paying taxes full stop they should be able to vote, but I don't think people under 18 should be allowed vote, so basically I don't think people under 18 should be taxed (income tax, not VAT)

Pretty much my feelings too. No vote, no tax. I don't necessarily think under-18's should be prevented from voting though. I think 16+ if they're contributing to tax revenue.

The various piece-meal age limits are a bit silly to be honest. Driving some things at 16, others at 17, firearms ownership at 16, drinking at 18, voting at 18, consent at 17. It's all a mish-mash really. It degrades our so-called age of majority and renders it largely redundant. Personally, I think majority should be definitive.

Fad

Jaxx Aggressive Bat wrote: »

Everyone can claim back tax.

No, somehow I dont think so.............

Wait NO WONDER THE GOVERNMENTS TAX RECEIPTS ARE DOWN!!!!!

challengemaster

Actually, nightclubs. Them yokes should be 17 to get into. giant PITA for going out when you're 17

p1akuw47h5r3it

Fad wrote: »

No, somehow I dont think so.............

Wait NO WONDER THE GOVERNMENTS TAX RECEIPTS ARE DOWN!!!!!

No i seriously think they can... have to go through the revenue commission... my mam did it when I got my braces a few years ago I think

Fad

DanDan6592 wrote: »

No i seriously think they can... have to go through the revenue commission... my mam did it when I got my braces a few years ago I think

Did she go private instead of staying on a public waiting list? Then she might have been able to claim some back, but in all seriousness do you think everyone would be able to claim you tax back if you went through the Revenue Commission. Hey I bought a Mars Bar today, could I have 21% of the price back?

If your self employed you can claim back in certain contexts, if you rent out a house and you do maintinance on it, you can claim a certain % back, but only in certain situations.

p1akuw47h5r3it

Fad wrote: »

Did she go private instead of staying on a public waiting list? Then she might have been able to claim some back, but in all seriousness do you think everyone would be able to claim you tax back if you went through the Revenue Commission. Hey I bought a Mars Bar today, could I have 21% of the price back?

If your self employed you can claim back in certain contexts, if you rent out a house and you do maintinance on it, you can claim a certain % back, but only in certain situations.

You don't get it all back...I think we where private not really sure...tbh I don't really know what I'm talking about I jus remember a conversation that she was having with somene and they where talking about being able to claim some tax back.

JC 2K3

You can claim tax back if you've been taxed incorrectly, it's not as simple as "everyone can claim tax back". I mean, christ, what would the point be in that? Free money for those who know they can claim it back?

cooperguy

Fad wrote: »

No, somehow I dont think so.............

Wait NO WONDER THE GOVERNMENTS TAX RECEIPTS ARE DOWN!!!!!

Yes you can. Everybody is entitled to the exact same level of tax credits in a year (though you can claim extra credits if you are a carer or pay rent/ a mortgage etc.) Students get no more tax back than anybody else.

Fad

cooperguy wrote: »

Yes you can. Everybody is entitled to the exact same level of tax credits in a year (though you can claim extra credits if you are a carer or pay rent/ a mortgage etc.) Students get no more tax back than anybody else.

Your probably right (Or more that Dan is).

I can little knowledge of the taxation system .

JC 2K3

You don't get taxed if you don't earn enough.

Low income exemption

Exemptions from income tax are available if your income is below a certain level. The thresholds are increased for people over the age of 65. If your income is over the limit then you may benefit from marginal relief.

You are completely exempt from income tax if your income is below the following limits in 2008 (the same limits apply in 2009):

Under 65 Over 65
Single/widowed 5,210 20,000
Married 10,420 40,000

Additional allowance for each of the first two children: €575
Additional allowance for third and subsequent children: €830

For a child to qualify for the additional allowance they must live with you during the year and be either

* under 18,
* over 18 and in full-time education or
* any age if they became permanently incapacitated when under 21or in full-time education or training.

The child may be an adopted child, a stepchild or any child that you support and have custody of.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/money-and-tax/tax/income-tax/how_your_tax_is_calculated?tab=more

Formatting's ****ed up, but basically, if you earn less than €5210 a year, you pay nothing, and any tax you pay erroneously you can claim back.

Dudess

seanybiker wrote: »

Voting i couldnt be arsed about, i never vote.

Then you have forfeited your right to moan about the government.

p1akuw47h5r3it

I'd love to be able to vote

phasers

JC 2K3 wrote: »

That's not democracy...

Who said anything about democracy?

Fad

Jaxx Aggressive Bat wrote: »

I'd love to be able to vote

I can w00t.....

Those election in June, YAY!

Ive heard little about them so far, and I'll get to vote in Lisbon 2.

li@mo

Leave the ages as they are. I would like to think that the voting age would be 16 but i just dont feel that people that age are educated enough to decide who should run the country.

CSPE for junior cert helps but its not enough

Richard Cranium

Roughly half of my year (about 20 ish people) are over 18 now. I am the only person who has registered to vote. All of us have ID.

Shows where priorities lie fairly clearly. I wasn't pushed about going to pubs when I was 17 (although I was not a pioneer by any means), but I've been seriously wanting to vote since I was about 16. That is just me though.

Health and public order aside, if the drinking age was lowered I think it would mean that nightclubs would be no different to teenybopper discos, only with more puke.

p1akuw47h5r3it

li@mo wrote: »

Leave the ages as they are. I would like to think that the voting age would be 16 but i just dont feel that people that age are educated enough to decide who should run the country.

CSPE for junior cert helps but its not enough

There not educated enough because there is no point. They can't vote. If they where able to they'd be more educated.

I've just turned 17 and am pretty well up on politics. Watch the news and political shows like Q and A's alot.I wish I could vote, especially now since my future is going to be seriously affected by future gov. decisions.

ayapatrick

byrne-himself wrote: »

for example, but in America you can drive at 16, you can get a gun at 18, but you can't drink until 21!?! it seems strange to have such varying laws in two western countries,

any comments or other strange, or humorous age related laws any one can think of?

you can get a gun when your 16 here, and i did:D

byrne-himself

ayapatrick wrote: »

you can get a gun when your 16 here, and i did:D

i'm scared now!!!!:D

i have to agree with a quote from ''dudess'' earlier, if you dont vote you can't moan