Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)

While I welcome the Minister of State's statement that further regeneration will be considered, regeneration without social inclusion is meaningless for local communities. Our communities must be reinvigorated and job opportunities provided in local areas. Initiatives taken in the docklands area have been rolled out throughout the city. The senior citizens forum, for example, which started on the south and north sides of the River Liffey has expanded throughout Dublin and plays a positive role.

The docklands area is important not only to the capital but also the country. Growth will come to the area because new companies want to locate in it. We must ensure young people in the area are trained and educated to be able to avail of the opportunities that will arise in the area. This will only be made possible through community involvement which requires us to listen to and invest in the community. The best investment that can be made in the docklands area is in education. It is vital that we have strong community involvement and a focus on education and social regeneration. We must not lose this focus as a result of the abolition of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.

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