Kilrush Town Hall || Inset: Cllr Ian Lynch
YOUNG people in Kilrush could be given a greater say in shaping the future of their town under a new proposal supported by Clare County Council.
The motion, tabled by Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) at the July meeting of the West Clare Municipal District, calls for the reintroduction of annual civic engagement meetings with primary and secondary schools across the district.
It also proposes that the municipal district work with the Kilrush Town Team, local schools and student councils to establish an ongoing programme of consultation, allowing young people to contribute to future planning, development and regeneration projects.
Introducing the motion, Cllr Lynch said it was inspired by a conversation with an eight-year-old member of a school student council who approached him about changes made to a local playground.
He said the encounter highlighted the value of involving young people in local decision-making and questioned whether the municipal district could do more to bring children back into the conversation.
Cllr Lynch explained the initiative would help keep local democracy alive while encouraging civic pride and active citizenship among younger generations.
Seconding the motion, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) said young people had “great ideas” and often knew exactly what they wanted and needed when issues directly affected them.
She added that Kilrush already had excellent youth workers and suggested existing national and international programmes could provide a framework for the initiative, meaning the council would not have to “reinvent the wheel”.
Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG) recalled inviting school groups into the council chamber during his early years as a councillor, describing it as a “fantastic” initiative that generated strong interest before it fell off the radar during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Senior Executive Officer John O’Malley said previous engagement through the Town Centre First programme had demonstrated how enthusiastic young people were when given the opportunity to contribute, describing it as “great learning”.
In a written response, Mr O’Malley said the West Clare Municipal District supported the proposal in principle and recognised the importance of providing meaningful opportunities for young people to engage in the civic, social and economic development of Kilrush and the wider West Clare area.
He said previous initiatives, including the Town Centre First process, the Mars Cinema regeneration project and other community programmes, had demonstrated the value of involving young people in discussions on the future of their town.
Mr O’Malley said the Kilrush Town Team provided an established forum through which engagement with young people could be further developed, working alongside schools, student councils, youth organisations and community groups.
He added that the proposal for an annual engagement meeting with primary and secondary schools was supported in principle and would be explored with Clare County Council, local schools and relevant stakeholders.
Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Michael Shannon (FF), said he would warmly welcome young people to attend MD meetings in Kilrush.
In concluding, Cllr Lynch said student councils in Kilrush schools had already shown they could make meaningful contributions, pointing to a recent school uniform change chosen by pupils themselves.
He said any future engagement should focus on issues relevant to young people rather than expecting them to sit through a full council meeting.
“If we’re going to do it, make sure the community know we are there,” he said.
