Clanabogan student aims for second term at Youth MP for West Tyrone

SOUTH West College business student, Ryan Kearney has embarked on a campaign to secure a second spell as Youth MP for West Tyrone in the UK Youth Parliament.

His first term as Youth MP began in February 2022 when he was a pupil at the Christian Brothers' Grammar School in Omagh. Since then he has engaged with young people locally through focus groups and listened to the issues that they considered to be the biggest priorities for them.

Son of Mary and Sean Kearney, he has three sisters, Aine, Shauna and Orla, the Clanabogan native believes the online election will take place before the end of October when the parliament's annual conference takes place.

"This was accessible mental health services, action on climate change and putting an end to vaping. This information was given to public representatives such as West Tyrone MP Órfhlaith Begley and MLA Nicola Brogan, as well as local councillors. I also was able to engage with representatives from the PSNI multiple times during my term where we discussed the issues they came across when working with young people. Their feedback determined sexual exploitation of young people to be a concern. If re-elected this will be an issue I intend to focus on and I am keen to continue engaging with Fermanagh and Omagh PSNI and schools and youth groups within the constituency on this issue.

He added other local projects he advocated for during his term has been the delivery of the Strule Shared Education Campus, the Omagh Mental Health Unit and the upgrade of the A5.

"Our Youth Parliament campaign last year focussed on universal Free School Meals for All and this was something we raised with the NI Secretary and Shadow Secretary of State, Chris Heaton Harris and Peter Kyle, as well as Emma Little-Pengelly and Civil Service Head, Jayne Brady. Earlier this year I was able to launch the UK Parliament’s Youth Select Committee report on the Cost of Living Crisis’ impact on young people which I was part of as the representative from NI. This was the first comprehensive review into the cost of living crisis’ impact on young people and it was so important that this was led by young people. The report consisted of several recommendations for the government such as the government should expand the eligibility criteria for school meals to allow the estimated 900,000 living in food poverty to be eligible, and to carry out a review into whether public transport is affordable for young people."

Last November at the UKYPs annual House of Commons debate Ryan spoke about the importance of reinstating the Holiday Hunger payments in NI and called for NI to be adequately funded by the UK government.

"One of my favourite moments as a Youth MP was representing NI alongside two other Youth MPs from NI at an event at Speakers House in Westminster marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Outside of the UK Youth Parliament, I am the International Officer for the Secondary Student Union and sit on the Executive Committee of the NI Youth Forum," he said.