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Clare Comhairle na nÓg

Date Issued: 24th April 2008

What is Clare Comhairle na nÓg

Clare Comhairle na nÓg is a forum for Young People in County Clare to be consulted on issues that are important to them.  Consultation is where Young People get the chance to voices their opinions and to listen to other young people.  For the last five years, Comhairle na nÓg has been held once a year.  Issues discussed included:

• Recreation/Sport
• Migration & change in Clare
• Sense of pride in area
• Our Environment/Waste Management
• Peer Pressure
• Information Technology
• Drug & Alcohol Use/Misuse
• Active Citizenship

Where does it come from?

In 2001, the government launched the National Children Strategy.  For the purpose of the Strategy any one aged under 18 is considered a child.  This Strategy has 3 main goals.

• Goal 1: that Young People will have a voice
• Goal 2: that Young People’s lives will be better understood and
• Goal 3: that Young People will receive quality supports, and services.

Comhairle na nÓg is an action under the 1st goal.  There is a Comhairle in every county.

Ireland ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1992.  This means that 'due weight' must be accorded to Young People views.

Who can attend Clare Comhairle na nÓg?

This forum is for Young People aged 7 - 17 from County Clare.  Young People currently get nominated through their schools to attend.  Delegates voice not only their opinions and views but also that of the students in their school.  It is important that delegates talk to their classmates about the topics before they attend.  At last years event we had delegates from 9 secondary schools and 30 primary schools.

Why should you participate?

It is an opportunity to voice your opinions and represent your school.  Young people that have participated previously talked about:

• the sense of being valued
• the opportunity to have direct contact with local public representatives
• the opportunity to meet other young people and hear their opinions.

Useful websites:

• National Youth Council www.youth.ie
• Children’s Right Alliance www.childrensrights.ie
• ISPCC www.ispcc.ie
• Youth Work Ireland www.youthworkireland.ie
• Youth Information Centre www.youthinformation.ie
• National Children’s Office www.nco.ie
• Office of Ombudsperson for Children www.oco.ie

Clare Comhairle na nÓg 2007

The sixth Clare Comhairle na nÓg (Young People’s Council) was held in November 2007.

The event was organised by Community & Enterprise, in conjunction with Clare County Childcare Committee, Clare Sports Partnership, Clare Youth Services and an Garda Síocháná on behalf of Clare County Development Board.

Delegates from 23 primary and 7 secondary local schools in County Clare participated in the Local Youth Council / Comhairle na n-Og scheme.

The 2007 Comhairle na nÓg meeting consisted of two separate workshops and feedback sessions, which will feed into the review of Clare Local Authorities Play Policy and the development of a new County Clare Recreation & Sports Strategy 2009-2011. 

The topics for delegates from Primary Schools attending the workshops were

• What is the recipe for a good school?
• Play

The topics for delegates from Secondary Schools attending the workshops were

• Recreation
• School: the best days of your life?

The day ended with delegates being elected to Clare Comhairle. These delegates are Alan Murphy, Adam O’Halloran, Niamh McGrath, Kevin Toomey, Sinead Parry, Aideen Comber, Paul Quinn, Cliona Falvey, Catherine Ziemann, Jemma Flower, Niamh Ni Aonogain, Eva Harkness, James Stack and Lisa Ni Fhearraigh. 

This group will meet during the year to progress the issues that were raised at this years Clare Comhairle na nÓg.  Their first task was to select the 5 Clare representatives to Dail an nÓg on 15th February 2008. These delegates were James Stack, Niamh Mc Grath, Jemma Flower, Catherine Ziemann & Cliona Falvey.

This is a national Young Person’s Parliament, which comprises representatives of Comhairlí in 34 Local Authority areas throughout the country. It meets once a year and submits an annual report of the outcome to the Cabinet Committee on Children. 

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