Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his response. I very much welcome the initiative of the shared island forum. I very much welcome the agreements and expenditures to date. My focus in this particular question is related to the youth forum. The forum is a wonderful opportunity for the 80 young people the Taoiseach mentioned because their voice is so important. The decisions that we make on a weekly basis, and in the Taoiseach's case on a daily basis, will affect those individuals for many years to come. It is important that their voice is incorporated into our decision-making processes. I would be very interested to see the form and shape of their deliberations and the outcome statement that is to be issued later in the year. Perhaps in his further response the Taoiseach will provide me with an idea of how the young people are engaging. I understand there is a broad range of subject matter and a broad range of individuals that are represented across gender, ethnic, community, faith and other diversities, which of course is most welcome. The all-island focus of the forum will be an opportunity for political parties on both sides of the Border to reflect on the fact there is an absence of power sharing in the North, which is very regrettable. Will those youth forum members discuss that impasse in power sharing?

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