Mr. Orin Tulié Daly:

We are here to discuss the work done by Comhairle na nÓg in the social, personal and health education curriculum and the relationships and sexuality education within it. I am from the Offaly branch of Comhairle na nÓg which is a youth council funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. There is one for every county council and city council across Ireland. Its aim is to strengthen the voice of young people in their county or city council. Each one is made up of representatives who are elected at the local comhairlí annual general meeting by other young people. At these meetings, young people discuss the topics they believe are important to them and affect them in their local area.

Dáil na nÓg is an annual event at which each comhairle comes together to show the work it has done and discuss the important issues for young people on a national level. In 2011, Dáil na nÓg decided strengthening the voice of young people through Comhairle na nÓg was the most pressing matter that needed to be addressed. Subsequently, it established the Comhairle na nÓg national executive, a youth group comprising 34 members, each from one of the county council or city council Comhairle na nÓg. It gathers in Dublin once a month to work on the issues that were found to be most pressing at the Dáil na nÓg national event.