Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In fairness, if Deputy Howlin goes through the issues I brought up, I am, on some level, a beaten docket but nobody brought up the issue of drug addiction when we talked about health. I had a meeting yesterday in the estate where I live. It was one of the first issues that people brought up with regard to drug dealing, crime and their impact. I could not see how that would not be brought up during the entirety of what is meant to be engagement with all citizens throughout Europe. There is an abject failure, not only to deal with young people, but to deal with large sections of society.

We are engaging with the members of Comhairle na nÓg who are interested. It is how we engage those who are not interested. People are distanced from politics in this day and age. They are definitely distanced from European politics. The fact that our guests all know the constituent institutions within the European Union makes them complete outliers. I doubt most people on the street know what the European Council, the European Commission or the European Parliament are. Ireland at this stage is probably different from it was ten years ago when we were dealing with austerity, which was seen to have been imposed to some extent by Europe. People are happy with Europe and see it as a good thing, not only in terms of the peace project but also because it is the means of necessary co-operation at this point in time.

The members of Comhairle na nÓg have already gone through the issues that are important to them. They spoke about social media. We could get into the rights and wrongs of social media companies. Europe has made some sort of moves with regard to taking them to task. What can be done, in real terms, to reach other people? How do we interest the disinterested, especially young people? At the Conference on the Future of Europe, we heard that its engagement would continue in future. This is engagement of which the members of Comhairle na nÓg were unaware. What can be done to involve our guests and other people? I said there would be a bit of ponderous meandering.

I have other questions on European politics and what should be happening on a couple of the major issues. Climate change is an issue throughout Europe. People became very worried about Marine Le Pen. Climate change is almost a weapon for the likes of Ms Le Pen but that will be the case until we can show that the state will step up to the mark throughout Europe, as opposed to putting further pressure on young people. My view is that there needs to be a step change in that respect. What is the view of Comhairle na nÓg's members? Will they pick a couple of the major issues?