Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 February 2013
10. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the issues she is prioritising during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7322/13]
View answerMy overall aim for the Ireland’s Presidency of the Youth Council is to build on what has been achieved for and with young people under recent Presidencies, to ensure that the outcomes of the Irish Presidency result in a sustainable legacy for youth policy and services and most importantly that these make a positive impact on Europe’s young people.
The Presidency Trio of Ireland, Lithuania and Greece have agreed on ‘Social Inclusion’ as the overall theme for the Youth Council over 2013/2014. The importance of the theme is underscored in recent policy documents such as EU Youth Strategy - Investing and Empowering Youth 2010-2018; Europe 2020; and in the recent EU Youth Report.
Building on a broad understanding of social inclusion as accommodating all young people and the range of issues they face, my priorities for the Youth Council Presidency are:
to promote understanding of the contribution of quality youth work to young peoples development , wellbeing and social inclusion; and to explore the potential of youth policy ( as expressed through youth work and youth activities) to address the Goals of Europe 2020, particularly youth employment. I will bring forward proposals for Council Conclusions on these two priorities for adoption by the Council of Youth Ministers in May.
These policy priorities are being advanced through the work of the Youth Working Party made up of officials of Member States. They will be also informed by the outcomes of the structured dialogue process between young people, youth representatives and policy makers following the EU Youth Conference to be held in Dublin 11th to 13th March, 2013.
The EU Youth Conference is the flagship event in the Irish Presidency Youth programme. The conference is the culmination of the EU wide consultation with young people on the theme of social inclusion. It is estimated that over 12,000 young people will participate in national dialogues, at present underway, in member states. Following the national dialogues some 150 youth representatives will then participate in the EU Conference in Dublin next month, along with some 100 policy makers from member states and representatives of the EU Commission.
Following the EU Youth Conference, Ireland will host an informal meeting of Directors’ General of Youth from each member state. Officials of the European Commission will attend and contribute to this informal youth policy debate and exchange of good practices relating to Ireland’s priorities.
On 20th and 21st of June, I will host an expert round table event in Dublin that will explore further the role of youth policy in advancing employment for young people. The intention is to bring a new focus to the ways in which youth policy and the youth sector can bring new synergies and additional elements to achieve the goals of Europe 2020, in particular, in relation to youth employment.
