Irish youth urge inclusivity and equality in Brexit talks

Ireland's young people have called on the Government to protect the educational needs of children in Ireland while promoting inclusivity and equality as part of Brexit negotiations.

Representatives of young people and children from across the State gathered at Croke Park in Dublin on Monday to discuss the implications of Brexit for Irish youth and to express their concerns around human rights, equality and discrimination.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone led the discussion at the Young People and Brexit forum by calling on young people to add their voices to the Brexit debate to ensure the protection of the island's "social fabric".

"It seems like a distant memory now but it was not that long ago that our island was disjointed," said the Minister. "Ireland and Northern Ireland went about protecting and supporting children in their own ways.

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“That all changed with the Good Friday [Belfast] Agreement. Now our young people enjoy common and stronger rights, entitlements, supports. This must not change.

“It [a robust response to Brexit] is about ensuring there is no division, no break up of services... and for those of you who live along the Border it is about everyday life.”

Brigid O’Sullivan (16), from Ballydehob in Co Cork, underlined the importance of protecting access to education across the Border as part of Brexit.

‘A lot of uncertainty’

“The most important aspect of Brexit for me is about travel to the UK for education. I’ve always considered going to college in the UK - but now there’s a lot of uncertainty around what will happen there.”

Oscar Despard (14) said being part of the EU had been “the driving force in the liberalising and opening of our society”.

“While the UK is a country that historically we have had very close ties with, we can’t lose sight of our long-term future in the EU and that we must embrace the European values of inclusivity and tolerance.”

Ms Zappone promised the young attendees that she would report the group’s ideas and proposals directly to Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

“You have said that we must remain an open, liberal and inclusive society.You have also spoken about the Good Friday Agreement and your intolerance for indiscrimination and xenophobia. We need to ensure that that continues to be such an integral aspect of these discussions.”

Asked to comment on findings of a recent poll that nearly three quarters of Irish people believe the Taoiseach should appoint a Brexit minister, Ms Zappone said the involvement of different governmental departments brought a variety of opinions to the discussion.

“For me it’s an opportunity as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to bring young people’s voices to the Brexit negotiations, and also gives me permission to say I think we need to be really looking at, as a whole, human rights and equality protections.

“That’s an example of how the team of ministers that are focused on Brexit can perhaps bring something with a better impact.”

Chief executive of the Children’s Rights Alliance Tanya Ward warned of the effects of Brexit on child poverty, child protection loopholes, harsh border controls, the status of human rights in the Belfast Agreement and the Common Travel Area.

Economic shock

Ms Ward said the economic shock from Brexit could cause poverty rates to rise on both sides of the Border, warning that children in Ireland and Northern Ireland already suffered some of the highest rates of child poverty in the EU.

She added that EU laws played a fundamental role in providing a means of tacking cross-Border child protection issues.

“We are talking about the most vulnerable children, including those who have been abducted, trafficked or unaccompanied refugee children,” said Ms Ward.

“An agreement, either between Britain and the EU, or at the very least between Ireland and Britain, is necessary to close all loopholes in our child protection systems.”

The Children’s Rights Alliance called for the State to encourage the UK to remain in international EU agreements that are fundamental to the protection of young people and children and warned that the European Convention on Human Rights must not “become a casualty of Brexit”.