Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I am fully committed to the effective development of Comhairle na nÓg in all 34 city and county development board areas. The effective development of Comhairle na nÓg is named as a Government priority in Towards 2016. My office has the lead role under the national children's strategy to ensure children and young people have a voice in the design, delivery and monitoring of services and policies that affect their lives at national and local level.

Comhairle na nÓg was set up under the national children's strategy in the 34 city and county development board areas throughout the country to give children and young people a voice in the development of local services and policies. An independent review of Comhairle na nÓg carried out in 2005, commissioned by the then National Children's Office, noted that many of the 34 Comhairle na nÓg were not engaging effectively with children and young people and were in need of significant improvement. Based on the findings of the review, the then National Children's Office established the Comhairle na nÓg implementation group in June 2006 to support the operation of effective Comhairle na nÓg. The group comprised representatives of Departments, city and county development boards, local authorities, the HSE, the VECs, young people and the youth sector.

In response to the recommendations made in the Comhairle na nÓg implementation group report in 2007, my office established a funding programme aimed at improving the operation of Comhairle na nÓg and providing additional opportunities for young people to be involved in decision-making. In addition, in March 2008, my office funded two national youth organisations to appoint three regional participation officers to provide training, advice and support for organisers of Comhairle na nÓg. Funding has been secured for the work of the participation officer up to March 2012.

Under the Comhairle na nÓg development fund, local authorities may apply for up to €20,000 per annum under funding criteria that ensure meaningful participation by children and young people in decision-making at local level. Uptake of funding has been very strong; my office's expenditure on Comhairle na nÓg was €680,000 in 2009-10. Funding for Comhairle na nÓg has been secured for 2011. My office has entered into a service level agreement with Pobal which will handle administration and monitoring of the fund from January 2011. Pobal will work in partnership with my office and the office's regional participation officers in managing and evaluating the fund.

Since its inception in 2007, the fund has been independently evaluated. The work of the evaluator has included getting feedback from young participants, staff in local authorities and other stakeholders and making recommendations on good practice. The three reports on the Comhairle na nÓg development fund for 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 highlight that significant improvements in the operation of many Comhairle na nÓg have resulted from the fund and the support of my office's regional participation officers.

The Comhairle na nÓg implementation group completed its work in 2008 and was replaced by my office's children and young people's participation partnership committee. The National Youth Council of Ireland jointly chairs and supports the committee with my office. The committee comprises representatives of Departments, statutory bodies, non-government organisations and young people. It supported the development and implementation of the Comhairle na nÓg development plan 2009-11 which has successfully met all targets and will be fully implemented by mid-2011.

A five year strategic plan for Comhairle na nÓg will be developed as part of the new national children's strategy. Work on the strategic plan has begun.