OIREACHTAS JOINT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION:JUST 3 per cent of Ballymun students progress to third-level education, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education heard yesterday.

Eleanor McClorey of the Young Ballymun project told the committee that the figure showed the restrictions on a child’s educational potential if they are born in a disadvantaged community such as Ballymun. Young Ballymun, set up in 2006, is a 10-year early intervention programme aimed at improving outcomes in education, health and mental health for children and families in the area.

Ms McClorey said one of the key issues to breaking the cycle of disadvantage was tackling school absenteeism.

Representatives from Young Ballymun and the Early Learning Initiative at the National College of Ireland attended yesterday’s committee meeting.

Labour TD for Dublin North West John Lyons, who is from Ballymun, said the model of early educational intervention being pursued by Young Ballymun and other youth projects needed continued support and financing.

“Having grown up in Ballymun and subsequently taught in Ballymun schools, I have seen the changes taking place in education in the community and the potential this brings . . . As recently as March, it was announced that in just the last two years, more children in Ballymun are attending school more often to almost the national average for school attendance,” Mr Lyons said.