Five young people from Tipperary travel to Dáil na nÓg

Over 160 young delegates from Comhairle na nÓg (local youth councils) across Ireland met in Dáil Éireann to debate the critical issue of mental health, one of the biggest topics of concern to young people in Ireland, particularly since the pandemic.

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 the Government should do more to address.

Tipperary Comhairle na nÓg member, Omar Aljohwani was a teller on the day.

The other Tipperary delegates were Olivia D'Arcy, Michal Kolodziejczak, Abigail Strappe  and Jack Ryan.

Dáil na nÓg, Ireland’s National Youth Parliament, now in its 22^nd year, tackled a range of issues related to mental health including body image, school stress and mental health services.

The biennial parliament, which provides a platform for young people to speak about and make recommendations on the issues that most affect them, was hosted by the Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl, who chaired the opening session in the Dáil Chamber.

There were closing remarks in the chamber from Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler.

Delegates from Comhairle na nÓg - representing each of the 31 local authorities across Ireland – filled the committee rooms in Leinster House, where they took part in workshops to debate the three mental health topics.

Discussions were held around how mental health affects the lives of young people in their communities and what changes need to be implemented to address these challenges and improve the experiences of young people in Ireland.

Following a formal vote in the afternoon where delegates processed through the lobbies of the Dáil, school stress was selected as the priority topic. This 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.