Local Young People Attend Dáil na nÓg

Five young people from Co. Monaghan travelled to Croke Park on Friday last to participate in the annual Dáil na nÓg. The young people were selected by Co Monaghan Comhairle na nÓg – the county’s Youth Council – to represent the views of the young people of Monaghan. The young people were assisted in their task by workshops organised in October at the Comhairle’s AGM and election day, at which over eighty young people from all of the twelve secondary schools in the county, identified the priority issues facing young people in the county today.

Dáil na nÓg is an all-Ireland event attended by the Minister for Children and senior civil servants, and provides young people with the chance to speak directly with those in power about issues concerning them. Amongst the hot topics at this year’s event was the issue of increased college fees, which the delegates claimed would act as a barrier to many young people in furthering their education.   The young people also articulated their desire to have closer links to local decision-making bodies such as the County Council and the County Development Board.

The delegates for Co Monaghan were Joseph Caulfield from Coolmain, Bernadette Duffy from Annyalla, Shauna McPhillips from Lisdrumskeagh, Michael McKenna from Aughnaseda and Shannon Swift from Stranooden. They will now report back on the Dublin event to the county Comhairle, who will then devise a workplan based on the priorities highlighted at Dáil na nÓg and the local Comhairle’s AGM in October.

Five young people from Co. Monaghan travelled to Croke Park on Friday last to participate in the annual Dáil na nÓg. The young people were selected by Co Monaghan Comhairle na nÓg – the county’s Youth Council – to represent the views of the young people of Monaghan. The young people were assisted in their task by workshops organised in October at the Comhairle’s AGM and election day, at which over eighty young people from all of the twelve secondary schools in the county, identified the priority issues facing young people in the county today.

Dáil na nÓg is an all-Ireland event attended by the Minister for Children and senior civil servants, and provides young people with the chance to speak directly with those in power about issues concerning them. Amongst the hot topics at this year’s event was the issue of increased college fees, which the delegates claimed would act as a barrier to many young people in furthering their education.   The young people also articulated their desire to have closer links to local decision-making bodies such as the County Council and the County Development Board.

The delegates for Co Monaghan were Joseph Caulfield from Coolmain, Bernadette Duffy from Annyalla, Shauna McPhillips from Lisdrumskeagh, Michael McKenna from Aughnaseda and Shannon Swift from Stranooden. They will now report back on the Dublin event to the county Comhairle, who will then devise a workplan based on the priorities highlighted at Dáil na nÓg and the local Comhairle’s AGM in October.