Zappone to hear views of young people at Brexit forum

On Monday Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone will hear calls to protect children on both sides of the border from poverty at a forum examining the effects of Brexit on young people.

The conference in Croke Park will hear the views of young people directly after the Minister's meeting with charities and advocacy organisations within the sector to discuss the topic.

Speaking ahead of the gathering, Children's Rights Alliance chief executive Tanya Ward described the post-Brexit outlook for children as "grim" and outlined the possibility that child poverty rates will "sky-rocket" in tandem with any economic shock.

"Since 23 June last, Brexit has been a bad-news story for children's rights. Yet, the hard Brexit outlined last week by British prime minister Theresa May made the outlook even more grim," she said. "Children in Ireland and Northern Ireland already have among the highest rates of child poverty in the EU. We fear Brexit will plunge more families deeper into poverty.

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A special case

“EU laws provide ways to tackle cross-border child protection issues and crimes committed against children. We are talking about the most vulnerable children including those who have been abducted, trafficked, or unaccompanied refugee children.

“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. Unless both jurisdictions place what’s best for children at the heart of negotiations, they will suffer.”

Her organisation will be calling for Northern Ireland to be recognised as a special case and for the retention of the population’s right to hold dual British and Irish citizenship.

The Children's Rights Alliance also wants Special Rapporteur on Child Protection Prof Geoffrey Shannon to formally investigate the implications of Brexit on cross-border child protection issues, family law, divorce, custody, child abduction and the treatment of crimes against underage people.

National Youth Council of Ireland director Mary Cunningham welcomed the announcement of the forum given that the State's youth population is expected to increase by 13 per cent over the next four years.

“This forum is an important chance to air the concerns many have that a hard Brexit could have serious repercussions on areas such as education, mobility and employment, the recognition of qualifications, child protection and a whole range of other issues that touch upon the lives of young people in Ireland,” she said.