Remarks at the Official Opening of Poppintree Early Education Centre
Ballymun, 21st May 2012
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for your warm welcome.
I am delighted to be here today to perform the official opening of the Poppintree Early Education Centre. I would like to convey my sincere thanks to the Board of Management for inviting me here today. It gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to visit this wonderful facility and to learn about the positive impact the project is having on the lives of families in this area.
It is most encouraging to see what can be achieved when statutory and community organisations come together to respond to the needs of the local community. Today is an important occasion for all of the organisations and agencies who have collaborated to make this possible and who have ensured that the services offered by this facility are delivered to a high standard and level of professionalism to this community. This centre is an example of the positive impact that the Ballymun regeneration project is having on the quality of life of those who reside in here in Ballymun.
One of the most important functions of any community is to provide for the needs of its children and to give them a good start in life. The challenge for us all, as a society, is to adequately recognise that early childhood is a significant and unique time in the life of every individual and to put in place the right responses, the right supports to make the most of this period for our young citizens, our future leaders.
We have learned much in recent years about what needs to be done in order to prepare our children for their future and about the positive and long term impact of quality childcare provision on the well being of children, their families and society generally.
The early years are the first stage of our lifelong learning journey and just as education in later life must rhyme with the complexity of our everyday lives to be effective, early childhood education must be a holistic experience that is informed by the most rigorous and robust evidence we have of what best supports young children to achieve their full potential. The benefits gained by children at a young age will carry through to adulthood and will be garnered, not only by the child, but by society as a whole.
Is léiriú an-éifeachtach é go bhfuil Lárionad Oideachais Poppintree don Luath-Óige lonnaithe san fhoirgneamh spóirt le tograí pobail eile ionas gur féidir leis na páistí dul i ngleic le cur chuige iomlán agus tuiscint níos fearr a fháil ar na hacmhainní saibhre atá ar fáil ina bpobal áitiúil.
Locating the new Poppintree Early Education Centre in the sports facility along with other community initiatives is an insightful way of ensuring the children have access to that holistic approach and develop an early understanding of the rich resources available in their local community.
We must understand also that children are primed for learning from birth and our early education comprises the sum of our experiences and interactions with and within our environment and the people it contains. Supporting parents in their parenting role with adequate social services, and access to quality early childhood education is critical in supporting children.
The beginning of literacy and numeracy development is embedded in the everyday actions, drawings, thoughts and communications of babies, toddlers and young children. It is now understood that play is one of the key contexts for children’s early learning, helping children to develop and demonstrate verbal communication, social and interaction skills, imaginative thinking, and problem-solving capabilities. Children need opportunities every day to talk and play with their parents and carers in relaxed, nurturing situations to lay the foundation of those future skills.
Léiríonn taighde na mblianta go mbaineann tábhacht mór le taithí luath-óige ó thaobh cumas reatha agus cumas fadtéarmach an duine. Leis an dul chun cinn atá déanta le déanaí sa réimse eolaíochta néarchórais agus sa taighde inchinne tá léargas níos fearr tugtha dúinn ar na próisis thábhachtacha a chuireann go mór le forbairt an pháiste.
For decades, research evidence has built a strong case for the critical importance of early childhood experiences in the immediate and longer term realisation of human potential. More recently, advances and innovations in the field of neuroscience and brain research have afforded us greater insight into the critical processes which determine the trajectory of each child’s development.
The overwhelming message that is emerging is that early childhood is a time of great opportunity but also of great risk. While early childhood is the optimum time in life to support the development of fundamental skills such as communication, empathy, independence and creativity, the child is totally dependant on adults to mediate the necessary environment and experiences. For the 73 young children who are supported by this service, Poppintree Early Education Centre can do exactly that.
I would like to acknowledge the contribution all those organisations that have played a part in this development and particularly Dublin City Council and Ballymun Regeneration Limited, who had such an important role to play in establishing this service in 2008, and who have facilitated the provision of many other public services in this area.
I would like to acknowledge the commitment of the Board of Management, who co-ordinated this development, and also the contribution of the manager of the childcare facility, Ms Sharon Byrne and her staff for their role in the delivery of quality care and education and the parents in supporting the children to reach their full potential. I congratulate you all and wish you every success in the future.