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📍 Dublin, July 10, 2025 — Ministers Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Health) and Norma Foley (Children, Disability and Equality) have welcomed the recommendations put forward by the National Youth Assembly of Ireland (NYAI) to enhance online safety and wellbeing for children and young people. The proposals emerged from a dedicated Assembly session on Youth Online Health, held this week as part of the government’s broader digital health strategy.
🧠Youth-Led Insights to Shape National Policy The Assembly, comprising young delegates aged 12–24, explored the impact of digital environments on mental, physical, and emotional health. Their lived experiences and recommendations will directly inform the Online Health Taskforce’s final report, due in October 2025.
Minister Carroll MacNeill praised the initiative, stating:
“By listening to their insights, we gain a better understanding of the risks and opportunities that exist. Their voices are the most important today.”
Minister Foley added:
“The delegates’ contributions are invaluable and rooted in real-life experience. Online health is a relevant and urgent issue for young people.”
🛡️ Taskforce Objectives and Progress Established in September 2024, the Online Health Taskforce is developing a strategic public health response to online harms, including:
- Anxiety and sleep deprivation
- Eating disorders and self-harm
- Suicidal ideation and sexual health risks
The Interim Report, published in June 2025, outlined progress and set the pathway toward the final recommendations. Taskforce Chair Jillian van Turnhout emphasized the importance of youth input:
“Young people are the true experts on their digital experiences. Our final report must reflect their voices to ensure meaningful protections.”
For more on the Assembly’s work and its influence on national policy, see the Department of Health’s announcement and the National Youth Assembly of Ireland overview.
