Fine Gael TD for Wicklow, Deputy Andrew Doyle, this week organised and hosted a meeting of Wicklow TDs and Wicklow Comhairle na nÓg to discuss youth issues in Leinster House. The Comhairle na nÓg delegation consisted of Rebecca Lyons, Rachel Griffey, Emily Dellow, Aoibhinn Gallagher and Clara Brannigan and met with Wicklow Deputies Anne Ferris, Stephen Donnelly and Andrew Doyle.
Comhairle na nÓg provide a forum for young people to discuss local and national issues of relevance to them. Delegates from Comhairle na nÓg are elected to represent their local area at the annual Dáil na nÓg. Comhairle na nÓg and Dáil na nÓg are the recognised official structures for the participation by children and young people in the development of policies and services. Comhairle na nÓg in Co. Wicklow is strong and active and projects undertaken include work around youth mental health, LGBT bullying, improving relations with Gardai and many more.
After the meeting, Deputy Doyle said, “Given that Wicklow Comhairle na nÓg is the forum for young people in the county to discuss important issues in young people’s lives, it is important that their voices are heard. In light of this, I was delighted to organise a meeting for a delegation to come and meet with some Wicklow TDs to highlight their concerns.”
“Alongside, Deputies Donnelly and Ferris, we discussed many issues that are affecting young people in Wicklow at present. These include the lack of affordable counselling services in the area, inconsistent and inadequate sex education programmes in schools and issues pertaining for facilities for young people in more rural parts of the county.”
“We had a very thoughtful and engaging discussion that will set the tone for further progress to be made on Wicklow youth services. It was agreed we are to meet later in the year where specific targeted measures will be outlined so that we are public representatives can bring their concerns to the table, in order to feed into policy. I look forward to further meetings that will take place later in the year”, concluded Deputy Doyle.