Eileen Flynn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for coming in today. I am a qualified youth worker and I love young people. We heard questions like whether young people can think for themselves. They bloody well can and they can do it well. I support the call for young people to be able to vote at 16, as my colleague spoke about earlier. Two weeks ago we had children from a YSI programme in to talk about what has been happening with mica.

Why would they not be able to speak very eloquently and also talk about the issues that are impacting young people in Donegal? Young people know the answers. I am listening as a mother of two very young girls. There should be something in place in order that our young people feel safe and the Ireland that they are in today should not have to put pressure on them to look a certain way on social media and behave in a certain way. Our young people are very unique in their own way and very clever and intelligent. As adults, we undermine our young people an awful lot. Young people are fairly undermined in here, as well. I am privileged to be on this committee, because from the two years I have been sitting on it, I know that young people are at the heart of the conversation in education. That is great to see. I would support any legislation to protect our young people online.

With regard to YSI, it would be powerful for our young people from ethnic minority groups also to be among the young innovators. When I was 17, I was on a student youth forum which really empowered me, as a member of the Traveller community. I was educated and able to be an educator to the group. I would be interested to hear about that. This committee will support in any way it can, as will I, in terms of protecting young people online.

The lives of Billie and Lacey are much better for having young people such as the witnesses who are well able to speak up. The young people never let anyone take that from them. I will give advice. I remember being asked, when I was very young, why I would be the sheep that follows when I could be the leader that leads.

I wish to know whether the witnesses have discussions along with Northern Ireland projects. Are they engaged in any cross-Border programmes? Is there anything else they very much wish to get across to the committee?