Youth 'disempowered, disillusioned': Democracy Commission

Young people are interested in politics but feel disempowered and disillusioned by our current democratic system, according to the preliminary finding of a study by the Democracy Commission.

The commission was set up to respond to concern about the role of the people in politics north and south of the border.

The Minister for the Environment Dick Roche said today that, contrary to popular belief, Ireland is seen as a model democracy by other EU countries.

“In Ireland we have a remarkably vibrant democratic system, but unfortunately we also have an extraordinary degree of cynicism, where people somehow or other believe that it’s always better somewhere else," he said.

“We actually have a more open system of government and a more extraordinary system of participation, particularly through the social partnership model, than exists anywhere else."