Address Dublin City University Educational Trust by Video Link

I am sorry that I can't be there with you all this evening, but I am sure you will understand, given the circumstances...

Thank you all for joining Ferdinand and the Host Committee this evening to support Dublin City University.

I have been involved with DCU for many years and I am constantly amazed at the innovative programmes and exciting cutting-edge research that is produced in this inspiring and entrepreneurial university.

The DCU Educational Trust has been instrumental in the development of DCU right from the early years, with significant support - financial and otherwise - from some generous friends in the USA.

I am proud to lend my support to the work of the DCU Educational Trust and in particular the DCU Access Scholarship Programme.

Brendan, whom you will hear from during the evening, is an excellent example of the calibre of young people who graduate from this wonderful programme.

DCU pioneered the Access Programme and it is now the largest and most successful programme of its kind in Ireland.

Access aims to; develop positive attitudes to education and help young people to remain at school, to encourage more students to consider third level education as a viable option for them and to support those students who do make it to third level to complete their course of study.

In some of the schools in North Dublin close to DCU, the transition to third level education is lower than 5%. Given the socio-economic profile of communities within DCU's catchment area, the need for comprehensive and targeted support by DCU through the Access Programme is crucial.

This year, the DCU Access Service received approx. 450 applications for entry to DCU under the Access programme - almost double that of last year. This is a reflection both of the underlying issues that the DCU Access Programme is still trying to address and the changes in personal circumstances being experienced by an increasing number of people.

With the help of the DCU Educational Trust, the DCU Access Service helps to address these issues and reaches out to over 10,000 primary and secondary schoolchildren, each year, through over 40 pre-entry programmes under the DCU Access Schools Programme.

The DCU Access Programme is currently celebrating its 20th Anniversary. From humble beginnings, over 1,000 students have successfully graduated from Access over those years, with many thousands more having benefitted from the Access schools programmes.

In its anniversary year, over 400 access students are currently availing of an Access Scholarship at DCU - all privately funded by like minded individuals and companies.

This is a remarkable achievement, but such an achievement takes a significant commitment from DCU in the form of; a dedicated team of staff to run the Access Service, significant input of resources from the various schools and faculties on campus and years of collaborating and developing working relationships with DCU staff, schools, teachers, community and voluntary organisations.

Of all the work carried out by DCU Educational Trust, the Access Scholarship Programme is possibly the most important - providing talented young people, from challenging circumstances, with the necessary supports to access and obtain a third level education.

I believe that these young people deserve to have this opportunity and that we should do what we can to remove obstacles, be they financial or otherwise, and help them obtain a third level education and reach their true potential.

Thank you for supporting the DCU Educational Trust, which helps this very special university, which is close to my heart, to continue it's terrific work.

I am sorry that I could not be with you, but I hope that you enjoy the rest of your evening.

END.

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