Youth Assembly on Climate Change

SafeSurfer

Is it wrong to be cynical about the Youth Assembly on climate change in the Dail?

No Youth Assembly about the housing crisis, health crisis, political corruption or Irish unification but a Youth Assembly on the climate crisis. Why?

Do the participants represent the views of young people in Ireland or do they just represent young people who are concerned about climate change?

Is it appropriate that only young people from one viewpoint were invited to participate in a discussion in the seat of Irish democracy?

MrMusician18

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Is it wrong to be cynical about the Youth Assembly on climate change in the Dail?

No Youth Assembly about the housing crisis, health crisis, political corruption or Irish unification but a Youth Assembly on the climate crisis. Why?

Do the participants represent the views of young people in Ireland or do they just represent young people who are concerned about climate change?

Is it appropriate that only young people from one viewpoint were invited to participate in a discussion in the seat of Irish democracy?

It's important that young people have their say, it will be their country to inherit after all. That said, you'd have to be concerned with the lack of diversity of views.

Thelonious Monk

The journal commentors and boards.ie dont believe in climate change or the fact we are destroying the natural world but i dont think its a good representation of irish society and their views in general.

SafeSurfer

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

The journal commentors and boards.ie dont believe in climate change or the fact we are destroying the natural world but i dont think its a good representation of irish society and their views in general.

Do you think that the youth assembly of 100% of young people concerned about climate change is reflective of the views of young people as a whole. Is there no room for even one or two dissenting voices out of 157 delegates?

MrMusician18

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

The journal commentors and boards.ie dont believe in climate change or the fact we are destroying the natural world but i dont think its a good representation of irish society and their views in general.

I don't think that's accurate. There are strong views on both sides of the debate and they get aired regularly here.

On the basis of the amount of littering that goes on outside my local school, they're are more than a few young people that couldn't give two hoots about the environment. I somehow suspect that that cavalier attitude won't get an airing in the chamber today.

uck51js9zml2yt

Kow towing to kids. What next?

riffmongous

Jon Agreeable Muslin wrote: »

Kow towing to kids. What next?

In what way are they kow towing to kids?

KSU

Smart

Let those not paying taxes reaffirm the Governments proposals to implement more and fresh "carbon" taxes.

I have a feeling it might be the first public body they listen to wholeheartedly

Graces7

riffmongous wrote: »

In what way are they kow towing to kids?

I think maybe he is being … humourous!

gozunda

KSU wrote: »

Smart

Let those not paying taxes reaffirm the Governments proposals to implement more and fresh "carbon" taxes.

I have a feeling it might be the first public body they listen to wholeheartedly

Better idea. Let's tax the kids so they get to pay their fair share of carbon emissions. That should raise the heat of the topic at the assembly - plus the government gets to widen the tax base. Win win ....

Field east

MrMusician18 wrote: »

I don't think that's accurate. There are strong views on both sides of the debate and they get aired regularly here.

On the basis of the amount of littering that goes on outside my local school, they're are more than a few young people that couldn't give two hoots about the environment. I somehow suspect that that cavalier attitude won't get an airing in the chamber today.

Having listened to a number. Of the attendance being interviewed the general gist of these interviews was how excited they are to be in the hallowed grounds of the dail, etc, etc, in that vein. Climate change issues kind of took a back seat. So did their ‘teachers ‘ forget to ‘school’ them not to lose the run of themselves

riffmongous

KSU wrote: »

Smart

Let those not paying taxes reaffirm the Governments proposals to implement more and fresh "carbon" taxes.

I have a feeling it might be the first public body they listen to wholeheartedly

gozunda wrote: »

Better idea. Let's tax the kids so they get to pay their fair share of carbon emissions. That should raise the heat of the topic at the assembly - plus the government gets to widen the tax base. Win win ....

The kids will probably end paying more of any new taxes than either of ye over their lifetime.. no harm in them having a chance to discuss it

SafeSurfer

gozunda wrote: »

Better idea. Let's tax the kids so they get to pay their fair share of carbon emissions. That should raise the heat of the topic at the assembly - plus the government gets to widen the tax base. Win win ....

I’ve heard of “No taxation without representation” but never “No representation without taxation”.

Would it be acceptable to have a youth assembly on Irish reunification to which only those in favour of Irish reunification were invited? No, it would be seen as unrepresentative, discriminatory and undemocratic. But if the subject is climate change those principles don’t apply.

Richard Hillman

Absolute nonsense. RTE are just auditioning for their star of Climate Change, who will of course have great time for RTE for giving them the platform to launch a career in Green Socialism.

I imagine it's everyone around the chamber agreeing with each other, whilst trying to out-do one another in the hysteria stakes.

SafeSurfer

riffmongous wrote: »

The kids will probably end paying more of any new taxes than either of ye over their lifetime.. no harm in them having a chance to discuss it

The “discussion” involves one opinion.

Strazdas

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Is it wrong to be cynical about the Youth Assembly on climate change in the Dail?

No Youth Assembly about the housing crisis, health crisis, political corruption or Irish unification but a Youth Assembly on the climate crisis. Why?

Do the participants represent the views of young people in Ireland or do they just represent young people who are concerned about climate change?

Is it appropriate that only young people from one viewpoint were invited to participate in a discussion in the seat of Irish democracy?

The idea for the Youth Assembly mainly came about because of Greta Thunberg and the school strike protests (which have only been taking place for 12 months or so).

Without Greta, this Youth Assembly wouldn't even be happening today.

Stevieluvsye

Ah FFS not one of these again, every different forum it's climate change this and climate change that

SEPT 23 1989

If the end of the world is truly nigh they should spend the rest of their short lives enjoying themselves

AlanG

This is no harm as long as the kids were randomly selected and are not just mates of TD's.

SafeSurfer

Strazdas wrote: »

The idea for the Youth Assembly mainly came about because of Greta Thunberg and the school strike protests (which have only been taking place for 12 months or so).

Without Greta, this Youth Assembly wouldn't even be happening today.

Do you think a Youth Assembly would be allowed to take place to highlight other issues that effect young people such as participation in a European Army, a United Ireland etc? Is it only because the participants are broadly in line with Government policy that the discussion is allowed to take place? Any issues where a diversity of opinion existed, such as the issues above, would never be entertained in a Youth Assembly.

SafeSurfer

Stevieluvsye wrote: »

Ah FFS not one of these again, every different forum it's climate change this and climate change that

Have you watched TV or read a newspaper lately. The climate crisis is everywhere. Is it really surprising that it is being discussed here?

farna_boy

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Is it wrong to be cynical about the Youth Assembly on climate change in the Dail?

No Youth Assembly about the housing crisis, health crisis, political corruption or Irish unification but a Youth Assembly on the climate crisis. Why?

Do the participants represent the views of young people in Ireland or do they just represent young people who are concerned about climate change?

Is it appropriate that only young people from one viewpoint were invited to participate in a discussion in the seat of Irish democracy?

None of the crises you raise have the potential to have the same impact on every young person as climate change has.

If the problems relating to climate change aren't addressed, all of the above will be minor inconveniences at best by the time the youth are grown up.

With regards differeing view points, would you also support anti-vaxxers on health boards, flat-earthers on scientific boards or racists/xenophobes on immigration boards?

gozunda

riffmongous wrote: »

The kids will probably end paying more of any new taxes than either of ye over their lifetime.. no harm in them having a chance to discuss it

Well it was a tongue in cheek comment. But no matter - I somehow doubt that tbh. Tax regimes in this country have been punitive for those working as long as I have been around. Though the numbers of those exempted from paying tax and paying low amounts of tax have been growing oddly enough. It's just a smaller number squeezed for ever more government revenue. If the kids really want to make a positive impact - the idea of paying their share - would certainly sharpen their awareness of been driven to school, disposable fashion etc. Whilst obviousley impracticable - the idea just might make them think a bit deeper than finger pointing, blaming the adults and screaming 'how dare you'...

Strazdas

AlanG wrote: »

This is no harm as long as the kids were randomly selected and are not just mates of TD's.

I believe around 1000 students applied after it was advertised and it was whittled down to 157 in the end.

Graces7

gozunda wrote: »

Well it was a tongue in cheek comment. But no matter - I somehow doubt that tbh. Tax regimes in this country have been punitive for those working as long as I have been around. Though the numbers of those exempted from paying tax and paying low amounts of tax have been growing oddly enough. It's just a smaller number squeezed for ever more government revenue. If the kids really want to make a positive impact - the idea of paying their share - would certainly sharpen their awareness of been driven to school, disposable fashion etc. Whilst obviousley impracticable - the idea just might make them think a bit deeper than finger pointing, blaming the adults and screaming 'how dare you'...

:eek: :rolleyes:

nullzero

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Do you think that the youth assembly of 100% of young people concerned about climate change is reflective of the views of young people as a whole. Is there no room for even one or two dissenting voices out of 157 delegates?

Welcome to the modern world, dissenting voices aren't allowed, but it's all OK, don't worry about it.

riffmongous

gozunda wrote: »

Well it was a tongue in cheek comment. But no matter - I somehow doubt that tbh. Tax regimes in this country have been punitive for those working as long as I have been around. Though the numbers of those exempted from paying tax and paying low amounts of tax have been growing oddly enough. It's just a smaller number squeezed for ever more government revenue. If the kids really want to make a positive impact - the idea of paying their share - would certainly sharpen their awareness of been driven to school, disposable fashion etc. Whilst obviousley impracticable - the idea just might make them think a bit deeper than finger pointing, blaming the adults and screaming 'how dare you'...

What I meant was that you'll be in pension soon enough (relatively speaking) where as they will be paying any new tax for the entirety of their working life. And I'd think most of the ones driven enough to take part in something like this will not end up in the lower tax exemption bands.

I'd also think then and at the very least hope that the ones there today will also be a bit brighter than the 'how dare you' crowd, considering you had to go to the effort to apply to be there today, I'd say it as a fair assumption. Let's see what they come up with anyway before writing them off

SafeSurfer

farna_boy wrote: »

None of the crises you raise have the potential to have the same impact on every young person as climate change has.

If the problems relating to climate change aren't addressed, all of the above will be minor inconveniences at best by the time the youth are grown up.

With regards differeing view points, would you also support anti-vaxxers on health boards, flat-earthers on scientific boards or racists/xenophobes on immigration boards?

I would argue that the potential to be called on to fight in a future war would have a greater impact on these young people’s lives than the effects of climate change. I would also argue that Ireland’s ability to impact global climate change is so insignificant that even if all the policies they propose were adopted immediately, their impact on climate change would be negligible.

We cannot have a discussion where only one view point is articulated. People of varying opinion are elected as public representatives precisely because they reflect a diversity of opinion.

Stevieluvsye

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Have you watched TV or read a newspaper lately. The climate crisis is everywhere. Is it really surprising that it is being discussed here?

After Hours, Weather, at least three in IMHO and IMHO it isn't a topic for after hours

PS
It's all bull**** anyway

Strazdas

SafeSurfer wrote: »

I’ve heard of “No taxation without representation” but never “No representation without taxation”.

Would it be acceptable to have a youth assembly on Irish reunification to which only those in favour of Irish reunification were invited? No, it would be seen as unrepresentative, discriminatory and undemocratic. But if the subject is climate change those principles don’t apply.

I doubt you would find many climate change deniers among children and teenagers, if any (such people are usually much older and right wing conservatives etc).

SafeSurfer

Strazdas wrote: »

I doubt you would find many climate change deniers among children and teenagers, if any (such people are usually much older and right wing conservatives etc).

So the minority should be excluded from a discussion in the seat of Irish democracy. I see.