LIMERICK young people’s representatives Cian Gleeson, Valentine Murphy, Joshua Raggett, Eve Kelly, and Ignacy Ordon joined 160 delegates from Comhairle na nÓg (local youth councils) across Ireland in Dáil Éireann to debate the critical issue of mental health.
Mental health was identified by over 3,000 young people across Comhairle na nÓg as their priority issue for discussion in advance of the day, which they feel that government should be doing more to address.
Speaking at the gathering, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, said he was “grateful to Minister Butler for attending to hear directly about the mental health issue selected by all the Comhairlí na nÓg for debate by their delegates to Dáil na nÓg”.
“The incoming National Executive will work on this issue over their two-year term, and the support of Minister Butler and officials in the Department of Health will be a critical element in the impact they can have.”
Dáil na nÓg, Ireland’s National Youth Parliament, now in its 22nd year, tackled a range of issues related to mental health, including body image, school stress, and mental health services.
The biennial parliament provides a platform for young people to speak about and make recommendations on the issues that most affect them.
Following a formal vote, school stress was selected as the priority topic and will inform the work of the incoming Comhairle na nÓg National Executive 2024-2026, who are tasked with advocating for policy change in this area during their tenure.
