Ireland - The Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Minister for Children, Disability and Equality Norma Foley have paid tribute to members of the National Youth Assembly of Ireland (NYAI) for their contributions to an event on Youth Online Health.
The NYAI was established to provide a consultative forum for young people, between the
ages of 12 – 24 years, to ensure the voices of children and young people are heard by government and decision-makers on important issues of public policy.The aim of the Assembly on Wednesday was to explore the impacts of online environments on young people’s health and wellbeing and to develop youth-led recommendations for the Online Health Taskforce.
The findings and recommendations on ‘Youth Online Health – ‘Creating Safe and Healthy Digital Spaces for Ireland’s Young People,’ will significantly influence the final report of the Online Health Taskforce which is due to be submitted to the Minister for Health in October 2025.
Minister Carroll MacNeill said:
"The online world presents challenges, especially for young people who navigate it daily. That is why their voices are the most important today at our National Youth Assembly in the Department of Health. I am deeply grateful to everyone who generously contributed their time to the discussions.
"By listening to their insights and recommendations, we gain a better understanding of the risks and the opportunities that exist. Bringing their experiences to the fore, we can create a safer and more supportive digital space for everyone."
Minister Foley said:
"Online health is something that most young people are impacted by, and so it is an important and relevant topic for the National Youth Assembly of Ireland. The delegates will bring insights through their lived experiences that will make invaluable contributions to the final recommendations of the Taskforce."
Chair of the Online Health Taskforce, Jillian van Turnhout said:
"Young people are the true experts on their digital experiences, and meaningful protections and digital wellbeing can only be achieved by authentically listening to those who navigate these digital spaces daily. Today's National Youth Assembly will directly influence our recommendations to Government, ensuring our final report reflects the authentic voices and experiences of those most affected by online harms."
Notes
Established in September 2024, the Taskforce has been asked to detail the range of social, mental health, physical health and sexual health harms being caused, which may include anxiety, sleep deprivation, eating disorders, self-harm, and suicide ideation.
The Taskforce is developing a strategic public health response to these harms.
The Interim Report (Interim Report of the Online Health Taskforce) published in June 2025, sets out the progress the Taskforce has made to date and outlines the pathway to the Final Report which will be submitted to the Minister in October 2025.
No comments:
Post a Comment