Clare’s Secondary School students are being invited to participate in one-day Local Area Fora as part of the 2010 Clare Comhairle na Nog.
Clare Comhairle na nÓg is a local forum for young people where they can discuss local and national issues of relevance to them. Five local Comhairle delegates proceed to represent Clare in the annual Dáil na nÓg or “youth parliament" each year along with children from 33 other local authority areas.
The upcoming Fora have been organised by the Clare County Development Board and is supported by Clare County Council, Clare Youth Services, An Garda Síochána, Clare Sports Partnership, Clare Local Development Company, and the Clare Youth Officer (VEC), under the County Development Board.
The Fora will run from 10am to 3pm at the Oakwood Arms in Shannon (Mon October 11), GAA Hall in Scarriff (Mon October 18), Bellbridge Hotel in Spanish Point (Thur October 21) and Cois Na hAbhana In Ennis (Thur November 4).
Mayor of Clare Councillor Christy Curtin urged students across the County to get involved in this year’s Comhairle na nÓg.
He said: “Comhairle na nÓg is increasingly being recognised by local, regional and national bodies and has provided representation to a number of initiatives such as Dáil na nÓg. The input and opinions of Clare Comhairle na nÓg delegates also have helped to formulate various national policies affecting the lives of young people and children. This proves that the process is effective and does make a difference to the lives of young people.”
The Mayor continued: “Now more than ever the input of our young people into the issues that affect them should be encouraged. Irish society is presently undergoing considerable economic and social changes and it is vitally important that the views of the youngest members of our society are heard. This applies particularly to second level students of SPHE (Social, personal and health education) and CSPE (Civil Social and Political Education).”
“I look forward to meeting participating students at the upcoming Fora when I will be inviting each of them to visit Aras Contae an Chláir to learn a little more about the functioning of Clare County Council”, added Mayor Curtin.
Seamus Bane, Clare VEC Youth Officer said the purpose of dividing the 2010 Clare Comhairle na nOg into local area Fora is to ensure that secondary school students will be able to discuss matters of relevance to their own local community.
Mr. Bane explained that the Government, State Agencies and Local Authorities have developed many policies with substantial input from children and young people. “The upcoming Comhairle na nOg one-day Local Area Fora are part of a long-term plan with the goal of improving the ability of Clare’s young people to represent their thoughts and ideas”, he concluded.
Nicola Cullinan, Comhairle na nÓg Coordinator, Community and Enterprise, Clare County Council, said the upcoming one-day Local Area Fora would provide an invaluable opportunity for young people, under 18 years of age, to have a say in issues that affect their lives.
“Participants of the upcoming Fora will be facilitated by staff from Clare Youth Service to identify key issues that they would like to see addressed. At the end of each Forum – four to five young people (male & female representing U-15 and U-18) will be elected to the Clare Comhairle na nÓg until the end of 2011. The full Comhairle of 20-25 people will be supported to identify and prioritise a small number of key, achievable aims that they will work on over the coming year”.
Further information on Comhairle na nÓg and the upcoming Fora is available from Nicola Cullinan, Comhairle na nÓg Coordinator, Community and Enterprise, Clare County Council, at 056-6846222 or dceoff@clarecoco.ie.
Clare Comhairle na nÓg is a local forum for young people where they can discuss local and national issues of relevance to them. Five local Comhairle delegates proceed to represent Clare in the annual Dáil na nÓg or “youth parliament" each year along with children from 33 other local authority areas.
The upcoming Fora have been organised by the Clare County Development Board and is supported by Clare County Council, Clare Youth Services, An Garda Síochána, Clare Sports Partnership, Clare Local Development Company, and the Clare Youth Officer (VEC), under the County Development Board.
The Fora will run from 10am to 3pm at the Oakwood Arms in Shannon (Mon October 11), GAA Hall in Scarriff (Mon October 18), Bellbridge Hotel in Spanish Point (Thur October 21) and Cois Na hAbhana In Ennis (Thur November 4).
Mayor of Clare Councillor Christy Curtin urged students across the County to get involved in this year’s Comhairle na nÓg.
He said: “Comhairle na nÓg is increasingly being recognised by local, regional and national bodies and has provided representation to a number of initiatives such as Dáil na nÓg. The input and opinions of Clare Comhairle na nÓg delegates also have helped to formulate various national policies affecting the lives of young people and children. This proves that the process is effective and does make a difference to the lives of young people.”
The Mayor continued: “Now more than ever the input of our young people into the issues that affect them should be encouraged. Irish society is presently undergoing considerable economic and social changes and it is vitally important that the views of the youngest members of our society are heard. This applies particularly to second level students of SPHE (Social, personal and health education) and CSPE (Civil Social and Political Education).”
“I look forward to meeting participating students at the upcoming Fora when I will be inviting each of them to visit Aras Contae an Chláir to learn a little more about the functioning of Clare County Council”, added Mayor Curtin.
Seamus Bane, Clare VEC Youth Officer said the purpose of dividing the 2010 Clare Comhairle na nOg into local area Fora is to ensure that secondary school students will be able to discuss matters of relevance to their own local community.
Mr. Bane explained that the Government, State Agencies and Local Authorities have developed many policies with substantial input from children and young people. “The upcoming Comhairle na nOg one-day Local Area Fora are part of a long-term plan with the goal of improving the ability of Clare’s young people to represent their thoughts and ideas”, he concluded.
Nicola Cullinan, Comhairle na nÓg Coordinator, Community and Enterprise, Clare County Council, said the upcoming one-day Local Area Fora would provide an invaluable opportunity for young people, under 18 years of age, to have a say in issues that affect their lives.
“Participants of the upcoming Fora will be facilitated by staff from Clare Youth Service to identify key issues that they would like to see addressed. At the end of each Forum – four to five young people (male & female representing U-15 and U-18) will be elected to the Clare Comhairle na nÓg until the end of 2011. The full Comhairle of 20-25 people will be supported to identify and prioritise a small number of key, achievable aims that they will work on over the coming year”.
Further information on Comhairle na nÓg and the upcoming Fora is available from Nicola Cullinan, Comhairle na nÓg Coordinator, Community and Enterprise, Clare County Council, at 056-6846222 or dceoff@clarecoco.ie.
