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The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman T.D., is delighted to announce the award of €93,000 for the Comhairle na nÓg ICT Capital Funding Scheme.

The funding enables Comhairlí across the country to purchase ICT equipment to ensure that Comhairle na nÓg can continue to provide its important role in ensuring the voices of young people are heard during ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Applications were received from 30 Local Authorities, with all 30 receiving awards.

Throughout COVID-19, Comhairle na nÓg across the country have been resilient and innovative in continuing to progress their work topics and ensure that Comhairle members continue to engage in decision-making processes in their communities through moving to an online or blended model of service provision. Comhairlí across the country have engaged in a wide range of projects to reach out to and support not only other young people, but also older people and their wider communities during COVID-19 restrictions.

The Minister is very pleased to provide this support to the work of Comhairle na nÓg through his Department’s Capital Funding programme.

In 2019 almost 4,000 young people participated in the work of Comahirle na nÓg across the country. The Comhairle na nÓg ICT Capital Funding Scheme will assist Local Authorities in their efforts to ensure that the maximum number of young people can continue to participate in the work of Comhairle na nÓg and that new young people who might previously have been excluded, can become involved.

Notes for Editor

Comhairle na nÓg are local youth councils (aged 12-18) that give young people a voice on the development of local policies and services. They are the recognised national structure for participation by children and young people in decision-making in all 31 local authorities.   They are supported by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund and DCEDIY Participation Officers.