Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The constituency of Dublin West, including Dublin 15, Blanchardstown, Castleknock, Mulhuddart and Clonsilla, has a population well in excess of 100,000, making it far bigger than the cities of Waterford or Limerick. It is one of the largest centres of urban population in Ireland. It does not have a single dedicated post-leaving certificate, PLC, facility. I have repeatedly raised this with both the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton. I note there are between 3,500 and 4,500 local authority houses in the area, as well as a great deal of renting but in the face of a skills shortage in Ireland, there are significant numbers of people whose talents still are not being developed or utilised through employment. The missing link is the development of a dedicated PLC facility for the area. This should start with the reinstatement of the PLC facilities at Blakestown Community School and Riversdale Community College, which is under the aegis of an education and training board, ETB. I keep being told by the Ministers that they cannot expand the numbers. It is an enormous pity for all of the adults who would happily do PLC courses, but who cannot avail of them in their own locality.

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