Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the Minister who is taking the motion on behalf of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald.

The matter concerns the Being Young and Irish initiative, a project of Uachtarán na hÉireann, and arises from the publication of a report.

Approximately 800 young people took part in the first presidential seminar to produce a Take Charge of Change declaration which not only offers a wide range of policy areas but also commits young people in Ireland to take ownership of change in their own communities and daily lives.

The report entitled, Being Young and Irish, was produced by researchers from the Dublin Institute of Technology for Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D. Higgins and the Being Young and Irish implementation group at Áras an Uachtaráin. The report captured the views of nearly 800 young people who took part in a wide-ranging consultation process over a number of months earlier this year. Contributions were made by e-mail, post and video. It was an integrated and dynamic process to include as many young people as possible and to hear as many views as possible.

The most common recurring themes were issues of employment and unemployment, the economy, sustainable economies, social security, political reform and accountability, education for life, equality, the involvement of young people in institutional decision-making, positive thinking, health and mental health, community, civil society, solidarity, cultural identity and language issues.

We have been told that young people are disengaged from the political system. The proposals in this report and also the Taking Charge of Change declaration demonstrate that this is not necessarily the case. We do not want the Government to sit on this report because we do not wish to alienate young people from the decision-making democratic process. I ask the Minister if any proposals from the Being Young and Irish initiative will be pursued and whether there is a proposed timeline for its implementation. Has there been any interaction with the group? These proposals are the result of a very wide-ranging consultation process with 800 young people and from the participants in the regional conferences. The presidency seminar was held only 11 days ago in Áras an Uachtaráin.

I raised this matter because I do not want this initiative to be lost. The Government should embrace the initiative which has been the focus of such wide-ranging dialogue and consultation.