Taoiseach hails €60m community boost for Dublin’s North East Inner City
Taoiseach Micheal Martin praised the expansion of educational programs assisting over 1,000 students as he attended the North East Inner City Initiative’s ninth annual progress report.
The launch by the North East Inner City Initiative Programme Implementation Board was held at St Agatha’s Hall on Dunne Street, and highlighted the over €60.7 million in funding the government has provided to improve the lives of residents and community members in Dublin ’s North East Inner City since 2016.
Key to this initiative is collaborations with An Garda Síochána, the Local Community Safety Partnership , relevant Government Departments, State Agencies, local business and local community representatives. Mr Martin said he was delighted to “see the impacts that NEIC driven projects are having.”
“It was great to hear a first-hand account by the students at O’Connell Secondary School of the positive impact that the Initiative is having in supporting young people through areas such as education, sports and wellbeing, music and creativity, and through innovative pilot initiatives like City Connects and the P-TECH Programme,” the Taoiseach said.
"As well as supporting young people, the Initiative is making progress across all of its key objectives. I know however that challenges still remain and I encourage the Programme Implementation Board to continue to innovate, listen and respond to the needs of this great community.”
Lord Mayor of Dublin City Council Ray McAdam welcomed the report as “clear evidence that the commitment to create a brighter future for the area.” Speaking at the launch, Lord Mayor McAdam said the annual report demonstrates the value of sustained investment, strong partnership and continued government focus, alongside significant delivery on the ground by Dublin City Council and local agencies.
“This is the eighth progress report published since the initiative was established, and that consistency matters. Real change in communities does not happen overnight, it happens through steady work, year after year, with a sustained commitment to local delivery.
“The Mulvey Report in 2017 set out a vision of creating a brighter future. What this progress report shows is that this future is being built in practical ways that people can see in their streets, their schools and their local services.” He acknowledged the continued support of the Government and highlighted the central role of Dublin City Council in delivering improvements across the area.
“Dublin City Council is playing a key role in improving the physical environment, supporting community facilities and working with residents to strengthen our neighbourhoods. These visible changes are helping to restore confidence and pride across the North East Inner City,” Lord Mayor McAdam said.
Highlights from the 2025 Progress Report include:
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