MARY HARNEY OFFICIALLY OPENS THE NORTH CLONDALKIN BARGE PROJECT AND LAUNCHES THE CLONDALKIN PARTNERSHIP'S ANNUAL REPORT

"Getting more people into jobs in the open economy was the main priority for the Clondalkin area", said Tánaiste Mary Harney in Clondalkin today (Friday, 9th October 1998).

Clondalkin suffered from many disadvantages in terms of high unemployment, a huge youth population and pockets of poor educational attainment. "But," the Tánaiste said, "from disadvantage must rise hope and opportunity", and that was what was happening on the ground through a variety of local initiatives being supported by her Department.

During her visit to Clondalkin, the Tánaiste officially opened the North Clondalkin Barge Project and launched the Clondalkin Partnership's Annual Report for 1997.

The North Clondalkin Barge Project is one of 24 projects currently funded under Youthstart and is promoted by The Tower Project Probation Service. "I was delighted to approve an allocate of over £300,000 from the European Social Fund for the project to develop a progression route into further training and employment for young people at risk of offending," the Tánaiste said when she visited the project.

The aim of the project is to involve a wide range of agencies - FAS, VEC, OPW/Heritage Service, Probation and Welfare and the local community to address the needs of young unemployed people in the community

"The exciting and innovative aspect of the project is the development of a Leaving Cert. Applied programme in an out-of-school setting with the rebuilding of a Barge as part of programme," the Tánaiste commented. She welcomed the promotion and utilisation of the waterways in Clondalkin as a positive resource to the wider community. The Tánaiste thanked the project's transnational partners from Italy, France and Northern Ireland who were present and attending a 2 day conference.

Later in the afternoon Tánaiste Mary Harney spoke of the need to "really get to grips with the cancer of unemployment" at the launch of the Partnership's Annual Report for 1997.

"I believe that the initiative of the Clondalkin Local Employment Service and Partnership - the Survey of Industry in Dublin 22 - is a significant development. Over 1,000 employers in Clondalkin have recently been sent a questionnaire which seeks information on business activity, size of workforce, recruitment plans for the next 12 months, methods of recruitment, etc. Questionnaires are due back by 16 October. "The findings will provide vital data for the LES/Partnership in their work to help unemployed people in Clondalkin," the Tánaiste said. "I hope that the local businesses can provide more opportunities for unemployed people in the area and I would encourage the deepening of the partnership that already exists between local employers and the Partnership company and the LES."

The Tánaiste congratulated the Partnership on its extensive work in 1997 and wished it every success for the future.