Leinster House was host to a new political generation when 174 delegates from the 31 Comhairlí na nÓg across Ireland came together for Dáil na nÓg.
Now in its 24th year, the parliament provides a platform for young people to speak about and make recommendations on the issues that affect them. The young delegates are elected through their local Comhairle na nÓg youth councils, and for many this was their first time inside Leinster House. The 174 delegates that represent each of the 31 local authorities across Ireland spent the day discussing what they believe needs to change in Irish schools.
The delegates of Dáil na nÓg debating in the Dáil Chamber
Before coming to Leinster House, the delegates took part in sessions where they received presentations from the Convention on Education and discussed their key issues before voting on topics they wished to explore further. The two topics chosen for discussion at Dáil na nÓg were the Irish language and continuous assessment. These were brought forward to Leinster House for further discussion before a final vote took place.
The Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Verona Murphy, hosted the event in the Dáil Chamber and welcomed the delegates to the seat of Ireland's Parliament. She stated:
The Dáil Chamber is at the heart of our democracy, and it is vital that young people have the opportunity to bring their voices directly into it.
The level of insight and thoughtfulness shown by delegates today is a powerful reminder of the role young people play in shaping the future of our society. I commend all of the young people involved for their contributions today and hope it will play a valuable role in informing national policy.”
In the committee rooms the young people took part in workshops to debate the Irish language and continuous assessment within schools. Discussions were held around how these areas are affecting the experiences of children and young people in their schools and what changes need to be implemented to address these challenges and improve the experiences of young people in Ireland. These issues will be submitted directly to the Convention on Education for consideration, highlighting a key priority for young people in Ireland. In the Dáil Chamber, meanwhile, the Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, participated in a debate with the young delegates.
Dáil na nÓg was first established in 2001 and is organised by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality in association with members of Houses of the Oireachtas and Government.