Dail na nÓg sits for the first time today at the Mansion House in Dublin.
About 250 children have been invited to take part by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children Ms Mary Hanafin.
The children, aged between 7 and 17 years, will be joined later this afternoon by the Taoiseach, who will be presented with a short report on the day’s proceedings.
"The aim of Dail na nÓg is to give children and young people an opportunity to express their views and have them heard by Government, as well as the public, private and voluntary sectors, in a way never done before," said Ms Hanafin.
A detailed report on the sitting will be submitted to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Children, which is chaired by the Mr Ahern.
The children, who have been invited from every county in the State, will be debating motions arising from issues raised by 2,500 children nationwide who participated in a National Children’s Strategy consultation process last year.