Leinster House hosts Child Talks 2022

Children aged 11 to 17 speak out on homelessness, education, autism supports, the Irish language, accessibility, rural transport and more

Child Talks, an event hosted by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO) to mark World Children’s Day, will take place today (Friday 18^th November) in Leinster House. Now in its fifth year, Child Talks gives children a platform to share their experiences on issues that are important to them. Inspired by the location, the theme of this year’s Child Talks is ‘If I were Taoiseach for a day…’. Children aged 11 to 17 will address an audience in Leinster House on issues including homelessness, education reform, autism supports, accessibility, rural transport, female empowerment, the Irish Language and listening to children. Child Talks will also be streamed live in classrooms across the country.

Children from across Ireland applied to take part in Child Talks. Some had experience of public speaking and some have never spoken publically before. Over the past three months, the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, with the support of Dublin Story Slam, have worked with the young people involved to help them tell their story.

Speaking ahead of Child Talks, the Ombudsman for Children, Dr Niall Muldoon said:

“It is significant that our fifth Child Talks will take place in Leinster House. We want those in power, those making decisions that affect children, to hear from them directly so that they can fully consider their views.

“My job is to ensure that the rights of children are promoted and respected. I work hard to represent their views but there is no substitution for hearing from children themselves and supporting them to share their experiences, in their own words.

“The issues being discussed by the children today are topical and relevant; they are talking about their personal experience of homelessness, about why they feel supports for children are not good enough, about the constraints they feel the current education system puts on their ability to reach their potential, about equal access for everyone and a lot more.”

Child Talks Speakers:

Aisling Murphy (17) from Co. Wicklow will talk about the impact that the Leaving Certificate structure had on her and how she took an alternative path.

Molly McNulty (11) from Donnycarney in Dublin will talk about finding her forever home in 2020 after she and her mother experienced homelessness.

Mohammad Naeem (17) from Claremorris, County Mayo will share his experiences in activism and why young people should speak up about issues they are passionate about.

Sam Brooks (17) from Roscommon will talk about rural transport and the impact that route closures will have on his choices for college.

Cara Darmondy (12) from Co.Tipperary will talk about her brother Neil and John who are both severely autistic and her work to raise awareness about the lack of services for children with autism. Cara was the first national school child to ever sit a Junior Cycle exam (Maths), receiving a 97% result.

Sophia Mulvany (12) from Marino, Dublin will be speaking about access to public transport as a wheelchair user.

Eimear Nic Dhonnchadha (16) from Connemara, Co.Galway will tell us about her complicated relationship with the Irish Language and why it can’t be only up to the communities like the one she comes from to keep our native language alive.

Misneach are a group of 6 teen singer songwriters from Cork aged between 15 and 18 who write music about empowerment and taking pride in their femininity.

 

Tá Cainteanna Leanaí 2022 ar siúl i dTeach Laighean

Labhraíonn leanaí idir 11 agus 17 mbliana d’aois amach ar dhaoine gan dídean, ar oideachas, ar thacaíochtaí uathachais, ar an nGaeilge, ar inrochtaineacht, ar iompar tuaithe agus ar go leor nithe eile.

Beidh Cainteanna Leanaí, imeacht arna óstáil ag Oifig an Ombudsman do Leanaí (OCO) chun Lá Domhanda na Leanaí a chomóradh ar siúl inniu (Dé hAoine, an 18 Samhain) i dTeach Laighean. Agus é ina chúigiú bliain anois, tugann Cainteanna Leanaí ardán do leanaí a dtaithí ar cheisteanna atá tábhachtach dóibh a roinnt. Arna spreagadh ag an suíomh, is é téama Cainteanna Leanaí na bliana seo ná ‘Dá mbeinn i mo Thaoiseach ar feadh lae….’ Labhróidh leanaí idir 11 agus 17 mbliana d’aois slánaithe acu le lucht éisteachta i dTeach Laighean ar cheisteanna lena n-áirítear easpa dídine, leasú oideachais, tacaíochtaí uathachais, inrochtaineacht, iompair tuaithe, cumhachtú na mban, an Ghaeilge agus éisteacht le leanaí. Craolfar Cainteanna Leanaí beo ar an idirlíon chomh maith i seomraí ranga ar fud fad na tíre.

Rinne leanaí ó cheann ceann na hÉireann iarratas chun páirt a ghlacadh san imeacht Cainteanna Leanaí. Bhí taithí áirithe ag cuid acu ag labhairt go poiblí agus níor labhair an chuid eile go poiblí riamh roimhe sin. D’oibrigh Oifig an Ombudsman do Leanaí le trí mhí anuas, le tacaíocht ó Chomórtas Scéalaíochta Bhaile Átha Cliath, leis na daoine óga a bhí páirteach ann chun cabhrú leo a scéal a insint.

Ag labhairt roimh an seoladh Cainteanna Leanaí, dúirt an tOmbudsman do Leanaí, dúirt an Dochtúir Niall Muldoon:

‘Is ní suntasach é go mbeidh ár gcúigiú imeacht de Chainteanna Leanaí ar siúl i dTeach Laighean. Ba mhaith linn go gcloisfeadh na daoine atá i gcumhacht, iad siúd a dhéanann cinntí a mbíonn tionchar acu ar leanaí, uathu go díreach ionas gur féidir leo a dtuairimí a mheas go hiomlán.’

‘Is é an post atá agam ná a chinntiú go gcuirtear cearta leanaí chun cinn agus go dtugtar meas orthu. Oibrím go diongbháilte chun a dtuairimí a chur in iúl ach is mór idir é sin agus scéalta a chloisteáil ó na leanaí iad féin agus tacú leo a gcuid taithí féin a roinnt, ina bhfocail féin.’

‘Is iad na saincheisteanna atá á bplé ag na páistí inniu tráthúil agus ábhartha; tá siad ag caint faoina dtaithí phearsanta ar easpa dídine, faoin bhfáth a mbraitheann siad nach bhfuil tacaíochtaí do leanaí maith go leor, faoi na srianta a chuireann an córas oideachais reatha ar a gcumas a mbarr a gcumais a bhaint amach, faoi chothroime rochtana do chách agus a thuilleadh eile nach iad.’

Craolfaidh an t-imeacht Cainteanna Leanaí beo arwww.oco.ie ag meán lae Dé hAoine, an 18 Samhain. Tá duaiseanna ar fáil do scoileanna a ghlacann páirt ann.

Cainteoirí na gCainteanna Leanaí:

Is as Co. Chill Mhantáin í Aisling Murphy (17) agus labhróidh sí maidir le tionchar a bhí ag struchtúr na hArdteistiméireachta uirthi agus ar an gcaoi gur ghlac sí le malairt treo eile.

Is as Domhnach Cearna i mBaile Átha Cliath í Molly McNulty (11) agus labhróidh sí maidir lena ‘baile choíche’ a fháil in 2020 tar éis di féin agus a máthair agus iad gan dídean.

Is as Clár Chlainne Mhuiris, Co. Mhaigh Eo é Mohammad Naeem (17) agus roinnfidh sé a chuid taithí a bhí aige sa ghníomhaíocht agus an chaoi gur cheart do dhaoine óga labhairt amach maidir le ceisteanna a bhfuil siad an-tugtha fúthu.

Is as Ros Comáin é Sam Brooks (17) agus labhróidh sé maidir le hiompar tuaithe agus an tionchar a bheidh ag dúnadh na mbealaí ar a roghanna a bheidh aige don choláiste.

Is as Tiobraid Árann í Cara Darmondy (12) agus labhróidh sí maidir lena deartháireacha Neil agus John a bhfuil uathachas trom orthu araon agus lena cuid oibre chun feasacht a ardú faoin easpa seirbhísí do leanaí a bhfuil uathachas orthu. Ba í Cara an chéad pháiste scoile náisiúnta a rinne scrúdú sa tSraith Shóisearach (Mata) riamh, agus bhain sí toradh amach de 97%.

Is as Marino, Baile Átha Cliath í Sophia Mulvany (12) agus labhróidh sí maidir le rochtain ar iompar poiblí agus í ag úsáid cathaoir rothaí.

Is as Conamara, Contae na Gaillimhe í Eimear Nic Dhonnchadha (16) agus inseoidh sí dúinn maidir lena caidreamh casta atá aici leis an nGaeilge agus an chaoi nach bhfuiltear de dhualgas ar na pobail amhail pobail as a dtagann sí ó dhúchas chun í a choinneáil beo.

Grúpa de sheisear amhránaí déagóra as Corcaigh idir 15 agus 18 mbliana d’aois slánaithe acu is ea Misneach a scríobhann ceol faoi chumhachtú agus faoin mbród atá acu as a mbanúlacht.

• 18 November 2022
• Type: Press Release
• Topic: Education