Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 15 February 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement

Key Issues Affecting Youth: North South Youth Forum

Photo of Rose Conway-WalshRose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted that the witnesses are here today. I commend them on the work they have done, as well as their comprehensive manifesto and how it is laid out.

Can this be extended to other counties? How do they see it expanding? As a person from County Mayo, it is great that Galway is involved and I welcome its involvement, but I would like to see it in other counties as well. Is there an opportunity under the new PEACEPLUS programme, which for the first time makes provision for funding under strand 6, for all counties to be involved? Heretofore, only the Border counties were involved. Is there a possibility of that funding being accessed for the benefit of the North South Youth Forum and expansion?

One of the problems relating to young people's voices not being heard is that many political leaders and forums recognise that many young people do not come out to vote. When I worked in community development, we had one of the lowest turnouts in the EU of young people at election time. What can we do to improve that? The forum noted in its manifesto that people should be able to vote at 16. What difference would that make?

What difference would a constitutional right to housing make to young people? I will confine my questions to those because I know other people wish to come in. Deputy Tully may have questions on disability and so on.

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