The chief executive of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC), Mr Cian O Tighearnaigh, yesterday told 250 children in Dublin that they were "very powerful people".
They did not feel so because adults were telling them otherwise. But "the UN Convention [on the Rights of the Child] says so", he said, as did the Constitution, under which "all have the same rights as citizens".
The children, aged between eight and 18, came from 22 Children's Rights Information Bureaux (CRIB) around the country, and were taking part in the first of eight training sessions devoted to helping them understand and promote their rights, with particular reference to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The sessions are expected to be completed within nine months, after which the children will train more of their peers, and promote their rights at shopping centres, schools and libraries.
Yesterday's session was addressed by Emma (14) from Ronanstown, Dublin, Amy (13) from Limerick, Garry (13) from Monaghan, and Brid (16) from Cork, who spoke about their trip to the UN session on children's rights in Geneva last January, about CRIB, and events planned for the day,
"Everyone of you has the right to be seen, heard and believed," Mr O Tighearnaigh said, dismissing such maxims as "Spare the rod and spoil the child" and "Children should be seen and not heard" as "sayings used by older people so they can do what they like with younger people".
He referred to the UN session in Geneva, which was attended by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, and five Irish children. Ireland was told there, he recalled, that it was not doing enough for children.
He criticised the lack of consultation with children, about schools or playgrounds, for example. "No one asks you," he said, pointing out that, although there were environmental impact studies on various matters, no one asked the views of "that third of people who live in a place called childhood".
The Government did not consult young people because they did not have a vote, he suggested, but he pointed out that children did not need the vote as they were citizens, with the same rights as everyone else under the Constitution.
He criticised the treatment of children in shops, where they were often ignored while adults took precedence. And it was never OK to hit a child, he said. "Today," he said, "is about getting it across to you that you are very powerful people."
Mr Paul Gilligan, director of services with the ISPCC, asked the children what rights they were denied. One girl said they did not have the right to stay out as long as they wanted. A boy said he did not have the right to drink or smoke like adults. And another girl was applauded when she said they did not have any say when it came to youth groups.
The children were then broken up into groups of 10 and, each accompanied by an adult "facilitator", went to various rooms to discuss and establish their rights.
