Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 May 2021
27. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the progress to enable the voice of children and young persons in decision-making including to update the first national strategy on children and young persons participation in decision-making; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28739/21]
View answerProgress continues to be made on enabling children and young people to have a voice in decisions which affect them.
The primary consultative forum for children and young people is Comhairle na nÓg , established and supported by my Department in partnership with the 31 Local Authorities. Comhairle gets children and young people's voices heard in two main ways. The young members identify and work on areas of interest to them in their local communities . They also serve as a consultative forum when decisions are being made at local and often national level. Every two years, members of each Comhairle come together at Dail na nÓg, to elect a National Executive and to identify and vote on the key areas they will work on over the following two years. My Department supports the National Executive to bring their ideas and projects to the relevant policy makers at national level, amplifying the voice of young people and effecting real change.
Another significant support to enhance the capacity of government departments, state agencies and other organisations to consult meaningfully with children and young people is the National Implementation Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making , which I launched in April This Framework provides guidance and checklists for those wishing to consult with children and young people, promoting participation with purpose, where their views are listened to, taken seriously and given due weight with the intention of leading to an outcome or change. The Framework underpins the work of my department and the soon to be established National Participation Office. Combined with the training and support of an enhanced Hug na nÓg, these resources build on and extend capacity to consult meaningfully with children and young people.
As the Deputy will be aware, the National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making is a constituent strategy of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures: The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People, 2014-2020, which concluded at the end of 2020. Progression of a policy successor to Better Outcomes Brighter Futures has been delayed until 2022. This decision has been made in light of Covid-19, and two significant initiatives my Department is progressing in 2021. These are, namely, implementation of the EU Child Guarantee and development of Ireland’s reporting to the United Nations Children’s Rights Convention. It is envisaged that both of these initiatives, and the impacts of the pandemic, will inform the priorities to be addressed in the successor to Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, and its constituent strategies .
