Ms Kate O'Connell:

I am a community-based youth worker for the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, which has been working with undocumented migrants and migrants in general for many years. Over time, more undocumented young people began to come to our attention, attend our centre and turn up in our campaign groups. These young people were looking for a space where they could come together and try to reclaim some power over their lives and futures. They were seeking collective spaces where they could be with other people who faced the same issues, let their guard down and share experiences. We formed Young, Paperless and Powerful, YPP, in May 2015 and have been working together for 18 months. It is a creative, dynamic and fun-filled space, although serious issues are also discussed. The participants have taken part in a number of creative actions over the lifetime of the project. For example, they created a mural on Dame Lane in Dublin city centre, which I encourage members to see. It uses the motif of a bird flying from a cage and the motto "Sky is the Limit, not Papers". It was the first endeavour which sought to lay down a marker and allow these young people to try to retake control in their lives and effect change for themselves.

YPP has made many powerful friends in the past 18 months. On International Youth Day we had a spoken-word event that was opened by the Ombudsman for Children. Our campaign has been endorsed by more than 50 business, civil society and community groups, including the Children's Rights Alliance, the National Youth Council of Ireland, Foróige and the Union of Students in Ireland. Unfortunately, we are unable to show a video today that was made by the group, but the link is included in our document and I urge members to watch it. We are trying to bring the voices of young people into this space but, as Ms McGinley noted, there is a challenge in doing that. I intend now to read a short case study of one of the young people in our group, Sara Jane, which helps to give a sense of the lives of these young people. Second, I will read a short spoken word piece written by one of our participants as part of a creative project.

Sara Jane is 17 years old and has been undocumented for nine years. She was eight years old when she first moved to Ireland from Mauritius to join her parents, nine months after they had come to the State. Her parents came to Ireland with student visas, which do not allow dependants, and were unable to apply for official family reunification. Despite significant efforts, Sara Jane's father was unable to transition to a work permit visa after seven years of studying and residing regularly in Ireland. As a result, he became undocumented and Sara Jane was unable to regularise her status when she turned 16. Sara Jane's parents continue to work and pay taxes in Ireland. Sara Jane is now in sixth year in secondary school and wants to study law. The reality, however, is that unless she can regularise her status, her family will not be able to pay the enormous international fees needed to take up any CAO offer of a place in university. This is despite her parents' significant and continuous tax contribution over the past nine years.

The author of the spoken-word piece graciously workshopped it with me yesterday afternoon, so I hope to do it justice. It reads as follows:

Why do I have to feel this way ?

Why?

I'm trapped.

I feel imprisoned

Suffocating,

Strapped down,

Immobilised,

Unfree.

Unable to grow

Unable to escape

I'm silently going through my everyday tasks

But on the inside I'm screaming to break out

I hate small talk and pursuing small empty dreams

I'm scared I'm going to end up

Like everyone in this place

And it's slowly driving me insane

But how do I escape?

If only you know what goes through our minds when we're all looking into our phone screen to block ourselves from reality

Cause reality has become too depressing

No one has ever asked me this question...

'Are you really okay '

I'd break down if anyone does but I'll still say yes with a smile on my face

Because ....

Because this world taught me that as a young person you don't matter.

You're not worth it. You're just looking for attention. You're just going through a phrase. You're over

thinking. Things will get better in a blink of an eye.

And I blinked... I blinked And nothing happened.

Seven years in a Ireland and I'm still undocumented. I blinked and nothing has changed yet.

I blinked and only thing that happened is that I miss a second from reaching my goals.

I blinked and my dreams shattered. I blinked and I'm still the same...

I'm still blinking hoping for a change. Hoping that this world will be a better place for us.

Hoping Ireland will change their view of immigrants like ME

I can't just wait for things to magically fall into place

If I truly want to live,

If I want to be free, then change has to start today.