Dundalk and Drogheda were today selected as one of nine areas to enter the design stage of the Area-Based Childhood (ABC) Programme 2013.
Minister for Children & Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald announced that €1.45m would be made available to the two towns to help combat childhood disadvantage.
In total 13 areas are involved in the programme with €30m invested overall.
The ABC programme targets additional investment in evidence-based early interventions to improve the long-term outcomes for children and families living in areas of disadvantage.
The project has been managed by the Department of Children & Youth Affairs in conjunction with the Office of an Tánaiste.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Eamon Gilmore TD who is co-sponsoring the initiative said: “I am extremely pleased with the progress to date on the ABC Programme. This is an initiative that is already making a real and positive difference to the lives of children and their families in disadvantaged areas. I look forward to the outcome of the design phase which will see this programme extended from the existing three sites, to up to thirteen areas, not just the ten we committed to do in the Programme for Government.”
