Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)

I thank the Minister of State. Like Deputy O'Sullivan, I am disappointed the Minister, Deputy Hogan, is not present. I hope the Minister of State will carry back the message loud and clear. I concur with what Deputy O'Sullivan has said but I will not concentrate on the negatives because too often we concentrate on the negatives. In its early years the Dublin Docklands Development Authority was an important structure and made considerable changes in the docklands communities on the north and south sides. Nevertheless, the authority has questions to answer. I call on the Minister of State to bring this to the Cabinet and to discuss the need for a full debate on the matter. A Topical Issue debate is too limited to cover what is an important issue for the city and the country. This is an area of strategic importance for job development.

I have serious concerns that we will miss out on many of the benefits. Let us recall the early years when the DDDA was set up. It had a social regeneration remit for the docklands area. Previously, some 35% of all docklanders left school at 11 years of age, a total of 55% left school at 15 years of age, only 10% sat the leaving certificate and only 1% went on to further education. Last year, some 60% of docklanders sat the leaving certificate examination. This is a tangible result. The docklands area is now close to the national average, only 2% below it, for attendance at third level education. This is a credit to the teachers and the principals in the community but it is also a credit to the social regeneration bodies and the community councils involved in education initiatives to bring up the standards and results to the national average. We must consider these and other positive aspects which have delivered during the existence of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority. Unfortunately, it lost its way toward the end.

Some 300 high-end job placements at the IFSC came through a placement service. Along with the late Tony Gregory, I served on the community council responsible for this initiative. We worked with the business sector and the placements came through the authority. These people are now role models in their communities. They have shown the value of education and that there are real jobs at the end of an educational process, which jobs pay good salaries. I call on the Minister of State to take the message back to the Minister, Deputy Hogan, that he should not throw the baby out with the bath water. This area can create jobs and it can be an engine for growth. We must consider a mechanism for getting the docklands area in Dublin moving again. There must be full community involvement and there must be real and tangible community gains.

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