A Donegal Youth Council contingent are on their way to Croke Park today for Dail na nÓg 2015.
The event, which happens every 2 years, will see 200 young people aged 12-17 from all over Ireland come together to help discuss and vote upon a number of issues related to this years identified theme.
Youth Councillors Ailbhe McGowan (St Catherines Killybegs) Aoife Gillespie (St Columbas Stranorlar) Hannah Healy (PCC Falcarragh) Megan Skinnader (Loreto Letterkenny) Meabh McDaid (Loreto Milford) David Moore (Glenties CS) and Joanne Brady and Tarlach Doherty (Pobalscoil Gaoth Dobhair) will represent the young people of Donegal at the event.
The theme for this year will be: ‘The need for young people to have a stronger voice in their education.” This theme came out of workshop discussions at the Comhairle na nÓg National Showcase, in which over 400 young people voted on the areas of their lives in which they least had a say. Education and School came out on top.
Participants will take part in workshop discussions before voting on the issues they feel most important for further work at national level. They will also contribute questions at the Q&A session with relevant ministers and government officials in the Department of Education.
Following the event a Donegal delegate will then be elected to attend the Comhairle na nÓg National Executive monthly, with Aoife Gillespie, Tarlach Doherty and Megan Skinnader all going up for election in front of their fellow Donegal Youth Councillors at the upcoming December meeting. One of the trio will replace Maria Ferry from Pobalscoil Gaoth Dobhair, who was an outstanding representative over the last 2 years.
Donegal Youth Council is funded by Donegal County Council, HSE Health Promotion and the Dept of Children & Youth Affairs and is co-ordinated at local level by the Donegal Youth Service.