Kerry Dáil na nÓg delegates outside Leinster House in DublinKERRY delegates were among the 174 young people from Comhairle na nÓg (local youth councils) across Ireland who met in Dáil Éireann on May 1 to debate the issue of education, one of the biggest concerns for young people in Ireland.
The six Kerry delegates were Christian Gleasure, Konrad Kopec, Isabel Araiza, Emily Ashley, Jamie Cronin Flynn and Aodhán Fitzgerald.
Isabel was a member of the Dáil na nÓg Steering Committee and spoke during the opening session, outlining the two themes for debate: continuous assessment and the Irish language.
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Christian also spoke during the open debate, highlighting how the Leaving Certificate’s reliance on a single final exam can leave students at the mercy of one good or bad paper.
He also proposed separating Irish literature into its own subject to allow students to focus more on speaking and understanding the language.
Dáil chamber in Leinster House full of young Comhairle delegatesNorma Foley, Kerry TD and Minister for Children, Disability and Equality said: “It is wonderful to see such passion for education and a desire from young people to improve the education system for all. From the moment children are born, they are learning. We need to listen to the voices of children and young people, and I am so very pleased that the views and vision of Dáil na nÓg delegates will be brought forward to the Convention on Education.”
In advance of the event, delegates took part in preparatory sessions where they explored key issues and heard from the Convention on Education.
On the day, delegates discussed a number of topics before narrowing them down to two, the Irish language and continuous assessment, which were then debated in the Dáil chamber ahead of a final vote.
During the closing session, delegates proceeded through the lobbies of the Dáil to cast their votes. The Irish language was prioritised by 130 votes to 39.
The Irish language, as the priority of Dáil na nÓg 2026, will now be submitted to the 2026 Convention on Education and will also become the focus of the Comhairle na nÓg NationalExecutive for the next two years.
