02/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - The National Forum on Europe and the National Youth Council of Ireland are organising, for 19 November at Dublin Castle, a conference for young people aged 16 to 25 on the future of the European Union. The conference - the theme of which is “Why the European Union?” - aims to give young people a chance to express their views on the future of the European Union and to fuel the debate that followed the French and Dutch no-votes on the constitutional treaty. In April this year, a similar forum had been held. It was acknowledged as a real success, with over one hundred young people taking part from different parts of Ireland. They were able to set forth their views, mainly during the plenary session in the presence of Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. This time, the development, cooperation and human rights minister, Conor Lenihan, will also attend. The results of this public debate will be discussed at the European Summit in June 2006 in the context of the Irish government's contribution to the “reflection period” following interruption in the ratification process of the European Constitution (website: http://www.forumoneurope.ie ).