Patricia Lewsley the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, came to our school recently and met with the student councils of Thornhill College and St.Columb's College in a packed lecture theatre. Ms Lewsley was a former SDLP MLA who took up her role as Commissioner in 2007. She says the main 5 priorities of her job are: play and leisure, for children to have a voice, mental health and well being, protection and equal treatment of children.

Ms Lewsley was recently in court looking for physical punishment to be banned but the case was dropped and the current situation is that a parent can smack a child as long as they don’t leave a mark.
We held a question and answer session with the Commissioner on a wide range of issues. When asked whether the legal voting age should be lowered Ms. Lewsley said “You can drive a car at 17 why not also vote at that age?"

Members of the Student Council meet with the Northern Ireland Children's Commissioner, Patricia Lewsley

Students also questioned her about a ‘transition year’ between GCSE and A Level, asking should children in Northern Ireland get one like the children in the south and she said she thinks it’s a good idea as “it gives people an opportunity to get the feel for what they want to do with their future.” She also thinks that children should be made better aware of how the government works and about new policies and legislation.

Ms. Lewsley supports the cervical cancer injection for year 9 girls and said that every girl should be able to get it because “you can’t put a cost on a life.” The commissioner also thinks there should be more women in politics as they provide a different dimension on things. However she is against all women coalitions because she thinks women should become more involved with mainstream parties such as the DUP, SDLP, and Sinn Fein. To the first assembly in 1998 there were only 15 women elected. Today in the Assembly in 2009 only 18 out of 108 MLAS are women. It is clear that women are underrepresented in politics.

Having Ms. Lewsley in our school was a great opportunity to get our views across; to hear her opinions and learn about the different tasks she does in her very diverse job. It was a great experience.

Nikita Harkin
9A

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