Teenagers want cervical cancer vaccine to be made available free of charge for all 12-18 year old girls

The top three recommendations on physical health voted by delegates were:

1. Cervical cancer vaccine to be made available free of charge for all 12-18 year old girls;
2. All young people should have access to sex education, which is appropriate to individual needs, comprehensive and varied in delivery;
3. P.E. should be prioritised and properly funded in and out of school because health and fitness is as important as education.

The top three recommendations on mental health voted by delegates were:

1. The government needs to implement a structured SPHE course for Senior Cycle students incorporating positive mental health awareness and develop an on-line support service.
2. Mandatory mental health awareness workshops in all schools to raise awareness about symptoms, supports and effects of mental health issues.
3. A nationwide awareness campaign that would promote positive mental health and decrease the stigma, which would reduce the numbers of suicide in young people.

Barry Andrews TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, addressed the delegates and stated that he and the Government is committed to listening to the views of children and young people and ensuring that they are included in decision-making.

The Questions and Answers session was chaired by Eddie D’Arcy, President, National Youth Council of Ireland, during which delegates sought answers from the Minister and senior policy makers on the issues discussed during the day.

The panel members for the Questions and Answers session were:
• Barry Andrews TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
• Sylda Langford, Director General, Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs
• Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Children
• Geoff Day, Head of National Office for Suicide Prevention, Population Health, HSE
• Martin Rogan, Assistant National Director with responsibility for Mental Health, HSE
• Bairbre Nic Aongusa, Director, Office for Disability and Mental Health, Department of Health and Children
• Catherine Murphy, Assistant Director with responsibility for Population Health, HSE
• Sharon McGrath, National Co-ordinator SPHE

Editor’s note
The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), Foróige and Youth Work Ireland won the contract to organise Dáil na nÓg 2006 - 2009, in co-operation with and on behalf of the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA). At local level, Foróige and Youth Work Ireland provide preparatory sessions for delegates.

The OMCYA takes the lead role in ensuring the development of structures to enable participation by children and young people, such as Dáil na nÓg and Comhairle na nÓg.

Dáil na nÓg is the national youth parliament and is overseen and funded by the OMCYA. Dáil na nÓg provides young people with an opportunity to feed their concerns into public policy and meets once a year. Young people are elected to the Dáil through their local Comhairle na nÓg.

The 34 City and County Development Boards (CDBs) are responsible for implementing the National Children’s Strategy at local level and establishing Comhairle na nÓg, to give children and young people an opportunity to influence local policy and planning. Some CDBs have established regular sessions of Comhairle na nÓg, which link with the adult county council. The OMCYA has established a funding scheme to support CDBs in running effective Comhairle na nÓg and an implementation group to develop a plan for improving the operation of Comhairle na nÓg throughout the country.