Colman Noctor: Teens are lonely and need spaces to hang out — A €100 culture voucher would help

One paradox of loneliness is that those who need social opportunities most often find it hardest to create them.

"We say teenagers don’t meet in person because they are on their phones all the time, but maybe they are on their phones all the time because we don’t allow them to meet in person."

I was intrigued to hear about the proposal under consideration for Budget 2027, which would give every 16-year-old in Ireland a €100 voucher to spend on cinema tickets, concerts, theatre performances, and other cultural activities.

Personally, I would welcome the idea, although it is not entirely original as I am aware of similar schemes already operating elsewhere in Europe. France, Spain, and Italy have also introduced their own versions of cultural credits for young people.