Address by Dr Jimmy Devins TD, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation at the Launch of Elevate, Learning at the Digital Hub Digital Exchange

Thursday 5^th June 2008 at 9.45 am

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen

In 2000 the Irish Government had a vision to create an international centre of excellence for knowledge, innovation and creativity. Located in the historic area of the Liberties, just a ten minute walk from the city centre, it was envisaged that the Digital Hub would focus on digital content and technology enterprises.

I am very happy to recognise the tremendous work done by the Digital Hub Development Agency in realising this vision. Today, there are 90 digital media companies located in the Hub employing over 700 people. It is a remarkable success and I congratulate the Chairperson of DHDA, Professor Joyce O’Connor and the CEO, Philip Flynn and his staff in bringing the dream to such a tangible level of reality.

I know that the Hub was very conscious of the educational history of the Liberties and, from the beginning, sought to work with the local community and with the 16 schools in the immediate area.

Following consultation with the community, with the schools and with enterprise, the Liberties Learning Initiative was developed. It is important to acknowledge the positive cooperation and sustained participation of all three groups in the initiative. It was subsequently called the Diageo Liberties Learning Initiative. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Diageo for its generous sponsorship of this initiative over the years.

Several innovative programmes, initiatives and projects have been implemented within the three strands of the Liberties Learning Initiative.

The focus of these projects has always been on 21^st century learning skills and on the provision of modern ICT skill-sets to enable the community to prepare for employment in the digital media companies being established in the Hub and further afield.

As Minister with responsibility for Science, Technology and Innovation I particularly appreciate that the project and school-based initiatives have a central focus on creativity, flexibility and problem-solving skills. These are the critical skills required in a knowledge economy and, in particular, in the digital media industry.

Of course, these are also the skills increasingly required by citizen who live in a knowledge society. Literacy in the 21^st century is much more than the traditional form of literacy we learn in school. In previous centuries technology, in the form of the printing press, transformed the notion of literacy.

Today, digital technology is playing a similar role in developing the definition of literacy to incorporate the use of a range of audio and visual technologies to source, evaluate, construct, edit and produce resources and communications.

Today, I have expressions of these skills, processes and productions in the work displayed in the Learning Showcase. The work showcased clearly demonstrates that the pupils of the Liberties, both first and second levels, are confident in the use of modern technologies to present their work.

It is impressive to see the work of learners from the wider community and from learners of all ages.

Finally, I wish to officially launch the newly - named ELEVATE - Learning at the Digital Hub.