The second National Rural Youth Assembly 2022 took place on the 14th July 2022, hosted by the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD), facilitated by the National Participation Office .
The Assembly consisted of 38 young people, aged 12 - 24 years, from across Ireland who gathered at the National Museum of Ireland at Collins Barracks in Dublin. Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman and Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys addressed the Assembly.
The first National Rural Youth Assembly took place in November 2021, with 38 young people aged 12 to 17 years, from Comhairle na nÓg (youth councils), as a precursor to the formal establishment of the National Youth Assembly of Ireland.
The establishment of the National Youth Assembly of Ireland in early 2022 expanded the age range to 24 years and invited a wide range of youth organisations, as well as Comhairle na nÓg (Local Youth Councils), to nominate delegates. This brought the Rural Youth Assembly under the umbrella of the National Youth Assembly of Ireland and facilitated the inclusion of guest delegates to provide a voice for youth specifically on rural issues.
The young delegates made seven recommendations to the Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys, for consideration in the Work Programme of in Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025. These are outlined below:
Investment: Government funding for investment in public transport links between rural towns and local communities within one year to make travel more accessible to young people.
Healthcare: Youth participation on local HSE boards to ensure their voices are heard on healthcare issues.
Youth Voices in communities: The appointment of a Community Liaison Person to facilitate contact between youth in the community and the action/Government bodies.
Transport: More opportunities for young people to engage with officials, TDs and Ministers on topics such as public transport. Reduce the age for a tractor licence to 15.
Voting Age: Introduce voting age for 16 year olds in local elections. Publish information on voting systems and how to vote in accessible language. Begin a process for a referendum allowing 16 year olds to vote in all elections (full representations). Young people also need a say on how the leaving certificate is structured, processed and delivery of 3rd level options.
Housing Crisis: Calling on the Government of Ireland to provide 100% redress for all houses affected by Pyrite/Mica before it is dangerous to live in these homes.
Climate Justice: By 2040, we expect the Government to support established farms to achieve a just transition with provision of financial aid for the gradual elimination of unsustainable practices.
See the National Rural Youth Assembley 2022 Key Messages Poster here.
A Report of the National Rural Youth Assembly 2022 provides a detailed record of the Assembly discussions, captures the views of young people from across Ireland in relation to rural issues.
In addition to delegates being provided information packs in advance of the Assembly, they were given an opportunity to attend an online preparation session in June 2022 hosted by the National Participation Office , in collaboration with DCEDIY and DRCD. 36 delegates attended the preparation session.
The aim of the preparation session was to help prepare delegates for the Assembly and ensure they had sufficient information to form their views and put forward recommendations. Delegates heard from guest speakers:
- Peter, a young person with a rural background from East Galway
- Dr Karen Keaveney, Rural Development, School of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD
- Rachel Foody, a young adult with a rural background from Sligo
Delegates discussed the issues raised by guest speakers and how these relate to their experiences, they also had the opportunity to put forward questions to the Minister and the DRCD.