9 hours ago
Harkin praise for MSLETB during visit to her home town
Her visit is part of a series of visits to all 16 Education and Training Boards across the country.
Her visit also included an afternoon at the Northside Community Centre.
Minister Harkin commended Tom Grady and the team at MSLETB for the breadth of educational and training opportunities they are offering over a huge geographical area, 'With a catchment area that stretches from Inishturk and Belmullet in West Mayo to Mohill and Rossinver in Leitrim it overs the largest geographical area of all ETBs and services a population of 240,000 people,' Minister Harkin said.
'Despite the numbers and the huge area, MSLETB provides a responsive, comprehensive education and development service to about 15,000 learners on 27 different sites in 40 different buildings and has a budget of almost €57m.
'They play a pivotal role in the social and economic development of the region and I was glad to be here to listen to the success stories and hear about the challenges.'
As part of the visit Minister Harkin called to the Northside Community Centre, which she described as a hive of activity and learning that plays a key role in empowering individuals, supporting families and communities.
'Here today I saw first-hand some of the work that is being done and met people of all ages whose lives are being transformed by the opportunity to learn and explore everything from cookery to film-making.'
Founded in 1996, the centre is managed by Sligo Northside Community Partnership a voluntary board of directors from the local community. It offers a range of services, including room rental, educational and learning activities, pre-school and after-school services, drug and alcohol addiction support services, and counselling support services.
In the 2024/25 period, approximately 200 learners enrolled in MSLETB-funded courses at the centre. MSLETB has provided €28,000 in funding to support these initiatives. Everything from film-making to cookery and art is offered at the centre to a wide range of participants.
Minister Harkin concluded, 'The Sligo Northside Community Centre exemplifies the spirit of community-led development, and the thngs that can happen when statutory bodies like the MSLETB and the community come together.
'I am committed to supporting such initiatives that foster inclusion, education, and empowerment across our region.'
