Policy information
Youth Participation
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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Last updated on
From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Published on
Last updated on
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) ensures that children and young people have a voice in the design, delivery and monitoring of Government policies, programmes and services, at national and local level, and is committed to including seldom-heard children and young people in participation structures and initiatives. A dedicated Participation Unit delivers this commitment.
The work of the Department is guided by Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which requires that children and young people’s views must be considered and taken into account in all matters affecting them. This work is also directed by the belief that children and young people are citizens of today and not just adults of tomorrow.
In 2015, the Government published the first National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-Making. It was a whole-of-government strategy, with DCEDIY taking responsibility for policy leadership and support. The Participation Strategy contained actions for all of Government as well as specific actions for relevant departments and Agencies. The actions outlined in the Strategy focussed on challenges in children and young people’s lives and enabling them to participate appropriately in decision-making processes.
The final review of the implementation of the Participation Strategy is available here.
The Participation of Children and Young People in Decision Making-Action Plan 2023-2028 has been developed in 2023 as a successor to the Participation Strategy and was published in April 2024.
This Participation Action Plan builds on the ambition and achievements of the first National Strategy on Children and Young People's Participation in Decision Making. The Action Plan will drive continued development of participation structures and practice, at local, national and international level, among organisations, sectors, practitioners and government departments and agencies. Through the implementation of these actions, and by using and enhancing existing resources and supports, DCEDIY will continue to innovate and lead the participation of children and young people in decision making across government and internationally.
The National Framework for Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision-making provides tools and guidance to government, state agencies, and non-governmental organisations to improve their practice in listening to children and young people and in giving them a voice in decision-making. It is underpinned by the UNCRC (United Nations, 1989), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities UNCRPD (United Nations, 2006) and the National Participation Strategy (DCYA, 2015) and is based on the child-rights model of participation developed by Professor Laura Lundy, Children’s Rights Centre, Queens University Belfast.
The National Participation Framework is underpinned by nine overarching principles set out in the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s General Comment 12 (2009) on the right of the child to be heard under Article 12 of the UNCRC. These principles recommend that all processes in which children and young people are listened to, heard and participate in (in person or online) must be transparent and informative; voluntary; respectful; relevant; child-friendly; inclusive; supported by training; safe and sensitive to risk and accountable.
The establishment of Hub na nÓg – Young Voices in Decision Making was a key commitment in the first National Strategy on Children and Young People’s Participation in Decision Making (2015-2020) to support implementation of the strategy.
Hub na nÓg is a national centre of excellence and co-ordination. It supports government departments, state agencies and non-government organisations to give children and young people a voice in decision-making on issues that affect their lives, with a particular focus on those that are seldom-heard.
The National Participation Office (NPO) was established in 2021 within DCEDIY to manage and coordinate the activities of Comhairle na nÓg (youth councils), Dáil na nÓg (youth parliament), the Comhairle na nÓg National Executive, The National Youth Assembly of Ireland and other related youth participation initiatives and structures.
The NPO operates under the guidance and oversight of DCEDIY and has responsibility for overseeing and implementing the Comhairle na nÓg Five Year Development Plan , which aims to strengthen and develop Comhairle to be the leading youth participation structure in Ireland. DCEDIY directs, oversees and supports the work of the NPO and collaborates with the Office on cross-Government engagement with Comhairle na nÓg and other participation structures, stakeholder engagement and relationship building.
The NPO developed a guide for Government and Departments to include the voice of young people on committees. This document provides guidance, practical advice and useful sign-posting to Government Departments and Agencies who wish to involve children and young people in Committees.
In 2023, DCEDIY with the NPO supported young people to take part in a number of engagements with key decision-making committees such as the National Economic Dialogue, the National Climate Stakeholder Forum, the HSE Mental Health Headstart Fund evaluation and others.
Comhairle na nÓg was established as the permanent structure representing young voices in decision-making at local and national level in Ireland in response to Ireland’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Since 2002, Comhairle na nÓg (local youth councils) have been giving young people a voice on the development of local policies and services in each of the 31 Local Authorities. Young people aged 12-18 become members of their local Comhairle na nÓg through their schools, youth organisations and community groups. In addition to being the recognised national structure for participation by children and young people in decision-making in all 31 local authorities, Comhairle na nÓg also provides young people with a voice in decision-making nationally through Dáil na nÓg (National Youth Parliament), the National Youth Assembly of Ireland and Government consultations on national policy. The Comhairle na nÓg network of youth councils are supported by the Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund and the National Participation Office.
Since 2001, a national youth parliament, Dáil na nÓg (youth parliament) for 12-18 year-olds is held every two years, hosted by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Approximately 200 elected delegates from the 31 Comhairlí na nÓg attend Dáil na nÓg to discuss issues as voted by each Comhairle as being of importance to young people in their area. Dáil na nÓg delegates vote on the issues and make a recommendation for their National Executive to work on over their two-year term. The Comhairle na nÓg National Executive is a representative group of 31 young people from each Comhairle who are tasked with progressing an issue of national importance for young people.
The National Executive’s work programme is supported by DCEDIY to engage with relevant influencers, stakeholders and policy makers and to ensure their views are reflected appropriately and meaningfully in government decision-making.
DCEDIY established the National Youth Assembly of Ireland in 2022 to meet key commitments in the Programme for Government by collaborating closely with other Government Departments to convene Youth Assemblies on specific policy areas. The Assembly makes recommendations to inform Government policy on areas such as climate, rural development and other issues of importance to young people. DCEDIY and the National Participation Office support the relevant Government Department to ensure young Assembly delegates are effectively facilitated to express their views.
The main function of the National Youth Assembly is to provide a systematic means of capturing the voices of young people in Ireland and feeding this directly into Government policy. The messages and recommendations made by a National Youth Assembly may also feed into citizen assemblies and other broader citizen consultations.
Seanad na nÓg (youth senate) convened on 10 November 2022, as part of the celebrations for Seanad100, marking the centenary of the first sitting of the Upper House of Ireland’s Parliament, 60 youth delegates from the island of Ireland participated in Seanad na nÓg, a series of sessions in the Seanad. Seanad na nÓg debated a number of topics selected by young people themselves. The delegates prioritised one recommendation for the Seanad to be debated by Senators with the relevant Minister. The opening session of Seanad na nÓg was addressed by Minister Roderic O’Gorman and chaired by the Leas Cathaoirleach, Senator Joe O’Reilly.
Delegates to Seanad na nÓg came from Comhairle na nÓg, An Gaisce - The President’s Award and the Joint Award Initiative in Northern Ireland.
DCEDIY supports Government Departments in seeking the views of children and young people to inform Government policy on issues of national importance. Some recent examples include:
In 2023, DCEDIY set out a series of consultations with young people about the impact of drug use on their lives, their families and communities that took place during the period November 2022 – March 2023. The report was presented to the Citizens Assembly on Drugs Use 2023.
In 2023, DCEDIY consulted young people age 16-18 in relation to what things are important to their lives that the, longitudinal Growing Up in Ireland study might be able to capture.
In 2023, DCEDIY consulted children and young people on Youth Information Centres.
In 2023, the National Social and Economic Council (NESC) consulted with young people from Comhairle na nÓg and the National Executive on how to involve young people in its work. A report on that consultation can be found here.
In 2022, DCEDIY supported the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (DTCAGSM) in consulting young people aged 18-25 years for their recommendations for initiatives to support the Night-Time Economy. A report on that consultation can be found here.
In 2022 DECDIY supported the Department of Education in consulting primary school age children and secondary school age young people and their views informed the development of Cinéaltas: Action Plan on Bullying.