The Youth Forum is a group of young people that were elected in 2000 to represent the youth of Ringsend and District. They have organised many events since then with the most recent one being the Open Day with a Solicitor (Ronan Sheehan) and the local Garda (Paul Byrne) on Young People’s Rights.

Some of the questions posed and the answers given are listed below:

Q. Do the Gardai have the right to move us on from a public place, eg move us from the playground or from the Library Building if we are doing nothing wrong and do we have to move?
A. They do if the person or group is causing noise or anti social behaviour or if a local resident has complained. If the Gardai ask you to move they have a reason and you do have to move. If you have an issue with this you can write to the Gardai Commissioner or local Superintendent.

Q. What is the legal age to buy cigarettes?
A. The legal age to buy cigarettes is 18 years old.

Q. Do the Gardai have the right to treat young people badly?
A. No. Gardai do not have the right to treat young people badly. If you have a complaint about the way a Gardai has treated you, you can write to the Garda Commissioner, Gardai complaints board or make the complaint in person at any Garda station.

Q. What is the legal age for having sex?
A. The legal age for having sex is 17 years old.

Q. Have the Gardai the right to search me for no reason or do they have to give a reason?
A. No. Gardai do not have the right to search you for no reason. If a Gardai is given a description of somebody that has broken the law and you match that description Gardai then have a right and a reason to search you. They may also have grounds to search under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Q. What is the legal age to drink alcohol?
A. The legal age to drink alcohol is 18.

Q. What is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?
A. This is an international agreement that Ireland agreed to which means that Ireland is saying our society will respect children’s rights and make every effort to satisfy children’s needs and nurture their potential.

Q. What are the Rights of the Child?
A. Survival rights, development rights, protection rights, participation rights.

Q. When they say child what age do they mean?
A. Any young person under the age of 18.

The Youth Forum would like to thank Ronan Sheehan, Paul Byrne and all the TDs, Councillors, volunteers and young people who attended.