Róisín Shortall
Ceist:1171. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of the LGBT youth strategy; the timeline for completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34691/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 13 July 2017
Ceisteanna (1171)
Freagraí scríofa
The Programme for Government (2016) gives a commitment to develop a National LGBTI+ Youth Strategy. A specific focus on LGBTI+ Youth will aim to ensure that appropriate measures are taken so that young members of the LGBTI+ Community are not in any way prevented from achieving their full potential.
Better Outcomes Brighter Futures, The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014 – 2020 and The National Youth Strategy 2015 - 2020 will provide a framework within which the strategy can be structured with a focus on appropriate measures to ensure that young people identifying as LGBTI+ are supported in achieving their full potential.
The five outcomes we want for all our children and young people are that they:
(i) Are active and healthy, with positive physical and mental wellbeing;
(ii) Are achieving their full potential in all areas of learning and development;
(iii) Are safe and protected from harm;
(iv) Have economic security and opportunity; and
(v) Are connected, respected and contributing to their world.
An Oversight Committee was appointed to manage the development of the strategy and represents a broad cross sectorial grouping of relevant organisations, bodies and Government Department/ Agencies who will have a role in the development and implementation of the strategy.
The Strategy will be youth centred and in this regard a youth advisory group has also been established. They have had significant input into the work done so far, particularly in relation to developing the branding for the Strategy and the consultations which were held for young people. The youth advisory group are also represented on the Oversight Committee, providing two nominees to the Committee.
Consultations with young people are vital to the development of the Strategy. An online survey on www.spunout.ie was carried out in April and May which attracted approximately 4,000 responses. In addition to this, officials from my Department held seven consultations with young people across the country, one aimed at all young people who wished to contribute to the development of the Strategy and six reserved for young members of the LGBTI+ Community.
Two of these consultations were held in Dublin with the others taking place in Cork, Dundalk, Galway, Sligo and Waterford. A report writer was appointed for these consultations and the report will be published in the coming weeks. Finally a stakeholder consultation was held on June 28th in Farmleigh House, which was attended by representatives from approximately seventy different organisations.
The data arising from these consultations will be used to shape the development of the Strategy and identify priorities for the Oversight Committee to examine in the coming months. The Strategy will be completed by the end of 2017.