The Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald TD, has launched a public consultation: improving the lives of children and young people.

Speaking at the launch the Minister said:  I believe it is vitally-important that government listens to and is led by those we serve. In this case I want to hear from children, young people and parents but also from those practitioners and organisations who work so hard for Ireland’s children and young people.”

The framework will set out the Government’s high level policy priorities for children and young people for the next 5 years and will succeed the National Children’s Strategy which ran from 2000 until 2010.

Anyone who is interested in assisting the Government in developing plans to improve the lives of children and young people is asked to complete the consultation document on the Department’s website. The closing date for receipt of consultation forms is Friday July 6, 2012.