Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann:

recognises the many difficulties and challenges which face young people in Ireland today;

notes the important initiatives and ongoing developments in the following areas:

addressing issues pertaining to alcohol-related harm;

preventing drug misuse;

promoting good nutrition and combating obesity;

promotion of healthier lifestyles;

provision of sports facilities;

mental health awareness and suicide prevention programmes;

sexual health awareness;

youth work;

youth justice;

increasing youth participation;

providing opportunities for recreation;

affirms the importance of consulting with young people on matters of public policy which affect them; and

welcomes the growth of this practice amongst public bodies in the development of services and facilities for young people.

As Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children with responsibility for children, I am delighted to have the opportunity to move this motion on young people and to outline to Members how the Government has made a significant and valuable contribution to improving the level of supports and services for young people in Ireland today.

During the course of this debate, Members will hear from my colleagues about a range of initiatives and developments across a number of Departments which favourably impact on improving the lives of young people. For my part, I will concentrate on those initiatives falling withinthe ambit of the Office of the Minister for Children.

The Government announced an expanded role for the Office of the Minister for Children in December 2005. The effect of the decision was to provide for the bringing together of a range of policy matters related to children and young people under a single umbrella within the Office of the Minister for Children, commonly referred to as the OMC.

One of the key roles of the Office of the Minister for Children is to support the implementation of the national children's strategy which applies to children and young people up to the age of 18. The national children's strategy, Our Children — Their Lives, was published by the Government in 2000 following widespread consultation with the full range of stakeholders and, for the first time in Ireland, with children and young people themselves. The strategy covers a ten year period, from 2000 to 2010, and draws together the challenges facing young people in Ireland in all aspects of their lives and commits Departments and agencies to a range of objectives to address these issues.

The Government pledges its support for the strategy's three national goals. Goal 1 is that children and young people will have a voice in matters which affect them and their views will be given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity. Goal 2 is that children and young people's lives will be better understood and Goal 3 states that children and young people will receive quality supports and services.

I will concentrate on those actions and strategies pursued by my office to support the achievement of these goals. Under Goal 1, the national children's strategy acknowledges children and young people as citizens with a contribution to make to social and political life. The Government recognises its duty to empower young people to participate in issues affecting their lives.

The OMC takes the lead role in managing delivery of Goal 1 and ensuring the development and improvement of structures such as Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg to enable participation by young people. It also undertakes specific participation projects in partnership with statutory bodies, Departments and non-government organisations and provides advice and support on young people's participation. The Office of the Minister for Children is fully committed to ensuring that young people who are hard to reach are included in participation structures and projects.

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