The Government has been urged to set up an education task force for Dublin's northeast inner city, modelled on the drugs task force.
The call was made yesterday outside the Department of Education where representatives of local organisations and students of all ages gathered to highlight the campaign.
The event was organised by the Inner City Organisations Network, ICON, whose spokesman, Mr David Little, said that while there had been a number of worthwhile initiatives from Government, there was a "strong feeling within the community" that the drive to redress social and educational disadvantage would benefit from a multi-agency task force.
Dublin's north-east inner city had suffered extensively from long-term educational disadvantage, evidenced by higher than average early school leaving, lower than average participation in third-level education and poor literacy levels. Mr Little said the record showed that the area continued to suffer from considerable educational disadvantage.
ICON envisaged that the task force would undertake research, prepare and oversee a development strategy for education services and make recommendations to the Department. It would include subcommittees reflecting the needs of those in pre-school, primary, secondary, adult and community education, Mr Little said.
Given the relationship between educational achievement and access to employment, and the link which had been established between high unemployment and drug use, it would seem that a crucial aspect of addressing the drug problems within disadvantaged communities was ensuring access to adequate educational opportunities.
ICON is an umbrella organisation that links voluntary and community groups operating in the area, as well as individuals working and living there.