21/05/2003

Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.

Issued on behalf of the Council                                                  Document Title:                         Launch of Comhairle na nOg   

by M.Keyes Head of Corporate Services                                                  Author                                                 :  A McDermott

Tel: 4149100                                                  Creation Date:                                                 21^st May 2003

                                Email:mkeyes@sdublincoco.ie

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Launch of “Young Voice” the Newsletter of South Dublin County Council Comhairle na nÓg

South Dublin County Council Comhairle na nÓg today launched it’s first newsletter entitled ‘Young Voice’.The newsletter  sets out the background  to the establishment of the Comhairle and gives an insight into issues which the members  have raised  at their meetings.

Comhairle na nÓg was set as up as part of the National Children’s Strategy. One of the main aims of the strategy is to “give children a voice in matters that affect them”

South Dublin County Council was one of the first Local Authorities to establish a  Comhairle na nÓg.  The first meeting was held in the Council Chamber on 27^th May 2002 and it has been meeting regularly ever since.

The Comhairle members consist of eighteen young people aged between eleven and seventeen. Each member represents one of the five electoral areas of  South Dublin County. Seven of the members have been nominated to Dail Na Nog.

Issues that have been identified by the members are:

Litter Problems in the County

Play and Recreation

Child Safety

Facilities for Young People

Education

Getting the message across to young people

Following discussion of these issues the intention is that they will be brought to the attention of the County Council who hopefully will take them into account when making decisions relating to these matters.

The production of the newsletter will go some way to highlight the work of the Comhairle and encourage young people to become involved in their local community and have their voices heard.

The  Mayor of South Dublin County Council, Cllr Jim Daly has described the whole initiative as “exciting, worthwhile and extremely innovative.”