Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

327. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the progress in the implementation by his Department of Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. [42892/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Ireland became a Party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992. Article 12 of the Convention covers the right of a child, who is capable of forming his or her own views, to express those views freely in all matters affecting him or her.

In the case of legislation coming within the remit of my Department the views or wishes of the child are provided for in the Child Care Act, 1991, the Ombudsman for Children Act, 2002 and the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013 (the 2013 Act). Further provision, by way of an amendment to the 2013 Act, relating to the views of the child is also contained in the Children First Bill, 2014.

The Deputy will also be aware that the Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill, 2012 makes provision to enshrine in the Constitution a new Article relating to the rights of children, which includes provision to ascertain and give due weight to the views of children in certain proceedings.

My Department is taking the national lead in driving the Government’s commitment to ensure that children and young people under the age of 18 have a voice in the design, delivery and monitoring of services and policies that affect their lives. At national and local level key structures and initiatives to implement Article 12 include:

- Comhairle na nÓg was established in 2001 as the key national structure for children and young people’s participation in decision-making about local services and policies.

- A biennial National Showcase of Comhairle na nÓg is hosted at which each Comhairle na nÓg showcases their work.

- Dáil na nÓg was established in 2000 as the national parliament for young people aged 12-18 years and is hosted bi-annually.

- A Comhairle na nÓg National Executive which is comprised of one young person from each Comhairle na nÓg has a term of office of two years to work on the key recommendation voted for by Comhairle attendees at Dáil na nÓg.

- Three regional Children and Young People’s Participation Officers support Comhairlí at local level.

- There is a dedicated Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund.

- A national strategy on children and young people's participation in decision-making is in development under the National Children and Young People's Policy Framework.

- The voice of seldom heard children and young people is a focus for the participation initiatives undertaken by my Department and will be a key focus in the forthcoming national strategy on children and young people’s participation.

- My Department engages Foróige and Youth Work Ireland to support the delivery of children and young people’s participation activity, including consultations and dialogues with children and young people being conducted to assist policy makers, State agencies and other organisations to include the voice of children in their decision-making processes. Recent examples include a consultation for the appointment of the new Ombudsman for Children, input for the Department of Education and Science Digital Strategy for Schools, and the development of a participation structure for the GAA.

I would also point out that the participation of children and young people is a core value in how Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, discharges its statutory functions under the 2013 Act. In that regard I would refer the Deputy to the information on the Tusla website , which outlines the resources available to Tusla staff to support the participation of children and young people in decision-making.