Good Morning Everyone,
Can I thank you for joining us for what I believe is an important gathering.
At the outset can I acknowledge that you have come here at relatively short notice, but today I do want to begin a dialogue on an important issue we face as a nation.
The Government’s preparations for Brexit have been on-going for over a year now.
Our planning ahead of the negotiations – both for the risks and opportunities for Ireland – is currently intensifying at both political and official level.
The priority areas for this Government remain unchanged – this is about our citizens, our economy, Northern Ireland, our Common Travel Area and the future of the EU itself.
We want to give as many people as possible, North and South, an opportunity to participate in the dialogue.
That’s why the initial meeting of an all-island civic dialogue on Brexit took place recently, where a number of you attended and outlined the importance of children rights.
As the key grouping comprising stakeholders in the area of children and young people, I would like your expert perspectives on the issue of Brexit and its potential impact on one of our greatest natural resources – our children and young people.
After some personal reflection there are a number of thoughts which I would like to share.
First, we must consider how best to ensure that the voices of young people are heard and inform the national dialogue – and perhaps in any international dialogue.
Second, we must consider how to anticipate and respond to Brexit related issues which impact on children.
As Minister I am aware that some of the unintended consequences of the UK Referendum Result may not even have emerged at this stage. This morning I have gathered you in the hope that as members of the National Advisory Council for Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures you will join me in bringing a child and youth focus to the Brexit Dialogue. Setting our discussion in the context of the mission, vision and principles of Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures is key.
To get our conversation going I can just make a few observations.
I suggest areas of focus should include
· Identifying both challenges and opportunities for children and young people arising from Brexit
· Identify any specific needs for children and young people
· What do our young mobile generation want in terms of freedom of movement on the island – and why?
· How do we continue to respect and engage with all young people in Northern Ireland?
I will take a moment to highlight some practical implications which only emerged during engagements I had in this past week – and I give these purely as examples.
Minister Simon Harris and I were in Armagh to meet our Northern counterparts as part of the North-South Council. I would like to share some Brexit related discussions and reflections we had.
· In terms of child protection there are concerns about the Brussels regulation which governs placement of children in out-of-State services such as secure care.
· Another issue is the placement of children from Northern Ireland in care in Ireland including residential and relative foster care.
· In the wider health area we are seeing huge developments in terms of cross border and all-island cooperation including child cardiac treatment – how do we safeguard that?
Both in Armagh and in the Dáil last week there were also concerns about EU funding of youth services – what are the implications not just for young people in Northern Ireland, but services which are cross border in nature. EU Peace Funding is currently accepting applications from projects North and South for 80-million-pounds sterling.
Many in the sector are questioning if this will be the last round of funding.
I give these just as examples to inspire our thoughts and they are not intended as an agenda.
Finally, can I signal the intention of my Department to have a more high profile and larger gathering in the New Year and I want our reflections here to form that agenda.
Today we are only beginning the dialogue and I now invite you to give any initial response or suggestions. Indeed, if as a Council you believe that there is an opportunity to make a more structured and substantive offering to this theme, I would of course welcome your considerations on whether the establishment of a task-focused working group within the Council – as part of your work programme – may be worthwhile.
As Minister I would like us to be well prepared, anticipating and addressing the issues which may arise.