Second Level schools in Dublin 15 can be very pleased at the ratings they achieve in the Irish Times examination of third level entry rates published today Monday Nov 20th according to local Labour TD Joan Burton.Some of these schools emerge very high up on the lists of feeder schools for all the major universities and Institutes of Technology.

Mount Sackville, Castleknock Community College, Castleknock College, Coolmine Community School and Hartstown Community School all feature in the top 25 schools on the Northside.

The end result is that the participation rate of young people from Dublin 15 in third level education is among the highest in the country. Both Blakestown Community College and Riversdale Community School show encouraging signs of young people going on to college including to our Blanchardstown institute of Technology.

These results vindicate the Labour party’s decision in 1996 to abolish third level fees in order to open up access to these colleges to a wider range of students.

Nationally a study by the ESRI also reveals that since this free fees policy took effect a similar broader access has become apparent in third level colleges all over the country.

“ It took a long time for this policy to get results and now that the good effects and benefits are there for all to see it is important to defend the policy that produced the results” Joan Burton said