Taoiseach launches the North East Inner City (NEIC) 2021 Progress Report

Report marks significant progress in advancing the goals of the North East Inner City Initiative

This morning the Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD joined the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD joined the Chairman of the North East Inner City Programme Implementation Board, Michael Stone, to launch the NEIC 2021 Progress Report.

This is the fifth Progress Report for the Initiative which sets out the extensive work undertaken by the Programme Implementation Board (PIB) in 2021 to deliver tangible results for the community in the North East Inner City.

Speaking at Larkin Community College, the Taoiseach said:

“There is a clear vision at the heart of the NEIC Initiative: to make the North East Inner City a safe, attractive and vibrant living and working environment for the community and its families with opportunities for all to lead full lives. Looking across this year’s Progress Report it is clear that great strides have been made to deliver on that vision in conjunction with the community, departments and agencies.

"I am very pleased to see the many visible improvements that have been made in the area in 2021 as a result of the NEIC Greening Strategy. In addition, I especially welcome the reopening of Fitzgibbon Street Garda Station which has been so beautifully refurbished. This achieves a foundational goal of the NEIC Initiative and is great news for the community.

"I was also delighted to meet students at Larkin who are participating in the P-TECH Programme - one of the most exciting projects associated with the NEIC Initiative and which is highlighted in this year’s report. It is a unique opportunity for students to experience elements of third level education and workplace experience alongside second-level schooling.  Its success to date is due to the support of the Department of Education, NEIC PIB, industry partners and the National College of Ireland and is a great example of innovation and working together at the heart of the North East Inner City.”

Michael Stone stated: “In 2021 we have continued to innovate and find new ways of working to deliver tangible results for the community. I would like to acknowledge the resilience of the

community despite the many challenges faced this year in assisting to drive change in the area.” 

Since 2016 almost €30.8M has been invested in the area to benefit the community across a range of facilities, programmes and initiatives.

Some additional highlights from the 2021 Progress Report include:

• €100,000 in Community Grants provided to 44 community organisations.
• 10 NEIC primary schools and their students are now fully engaged with the City Connects programme.
• 389 students have used services provided by the NEIC/ HSE Occupational Therapy /Speech and Language Therapy initiative. Wait times have reduced by 46 weeks in 2021. 
• 1 newly refurbished Garda Station in Fitzgibbon Street
• Training delivered for 10 local schools in the ‘Nurture Rooms’ Programme.
• 9 childcare workers in the NEIC approved for a continuous professional development Bursary.
• 1 NEIC parenting coordinator recruited.
• 16 intercultural ambassadors recruited from 12 nationalities speaking 21 languages. 
• The NEIC Initiative provided up to 59 laptops and 81 robotic kits to NEIC secondary schools to support coding and robotics education programmes under the P-TECH Programme.
• 75 people participated in the Dual Diagnosis awareness workshops.
• 2 Olympians and 1 Olympic Gold Medal brought home to the NEIC.
• 14 local participants involved in a dedicated Yoga Teacher Training programme.
• 275 trees planted within the area of the NEIC as part of the greening strategy
• 70 local participants in Gaelic Games through Scoil Uí Chonaill.
• 457 laptops and devices provided to schools during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 9 playgrounds improvements completed in 2021