Interagency Action Plan

Interagency Action Plan 2019-2021 for Children and Young People in Dublin North West Inner City

In his role as Chairperson of the Steering Committee of the Area Based Childhood Programme in Dublin North West Inner City, funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, Dr. Paul Downes, Director of the Educational Disadvantage Centre, Institute of Education, DCU has helped lead the community consultation process that informed the new Interagency Sustainability Action Plan 2019-2021 for Children and Young People in the area.

The Interagency Action Plan, devised after a year-long series of local community stakeholder consultation processes, was launched by Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohue in November 2018.  An implementation committee is being established to progress the Action Plan recommendations.

The Area Based Childhood Programme consortium for the Dublin North West Inner City consists of 32 local services, including community groups, schools, creches and statutory services. 

Dr. Downes spoke at the launch to emphasise the importance of key recommendations in the Action Plan such as local community one stop shop hubs, combining multidisciplinary teams and community lifelong learning centres, mental health services, domestic violence support services. These bridge health and education needs, through a community development vision. He also emphasised the finding in the Action Plan regarding how local community services need new spaces and are under pressure from rising rents.

Minister Donohue welcomed the Action Plan and committed to engage in further dialogue towards consideration of implementation of its findings. Ms. Eadaoin Kelly, Principal, St. Mary’s DEIS Primary School, Dorset St. also spoke at the launch.