It is a great pleasure for me to visit my friends in St. Aidan’s again tonight. On this special occasion, at a busy and perhaps anxious time in the school calendar, I am delighted to join with you as you reflect on your achievements over the last year.
Most people do not get the opportunity that I do to visit their former school. I have fond memories of my days here. And I always look forward, very much to coming back to see how today’s students are getting on.
The rapid advances taking place in Irish life today mean that students’ needs are constantly evolving. And schools need to be ever vigilant and adapt to those changes so that their students are best prepared for life beyond these walls. Today, as ever, I am struck by the high standards of education and sporting prowess that still prevail in Saint Aidan’s. I hope that such success will continue to make its mark on Irish life, just as it has in the past.
I believe, that while the annual awards’ night celebrates individual success, it is also a reflection of the ongoing achievements of the school in maintaining the high standards, which have long been your hallmark. The hard work and commitment of Jimmy Reynolds and his team, enables every student to make the most of their abilities and talents.
I offer my congratulations to the students who are receiving awards tonight. In the academic sphere, I will be presenting awards to the best student of the Leaving Cert, the Junior Cert and to the best all-round student.
And, it is not just those who have excelled academically that will be honoured tonight. St. Aidan’s helped to cultivate in me my deep and abiding love of sport. And, I am delighted therefore to see the many teams and individuals who have trained tirelessly throughout the year being rewarded too.
At this stage, I am sure most of you have completed the syllabus for the year and are revising vigorously for your end of year exams. For the Leaving Cert students, next month brings this chapter of your education to an end. Preparing for life beyond school can be an anxious time. But I can assure you, as can your parents and teachers, that never before have so many opportunities presented themselves to people of your age. Indeed, I believe that the future holds unprecedented promise for you.
Our economy has been transformed in recent times and we continue to see great strides in job creation and the ongoing development of our society. Gone are the days of mass unemployment, which greeted many school leavers right up to the late 1980s. We have seen, for the first time, a complete reversal in the trend of emigration, which was the sad lot of so many Irish families in decades gone by. Fortunately, young people like you can look forward to relatively secure, quality jobs here at home.
Furthermore, our performance in recent years, has gained us much admiration internationally, and in particular from our European Union neighbours. Our hosting of the EU Presidency last year further underlined the valuable contribution a small member state such as Ireland can make to the ongoing development of the European Union.
To my mind, the biggest success of Ireland’s EU Presidency, which continues to have an impact throughout the EU, is the agreement on the draft Treaty establishing the European Constitution. We will have a referendum in Ireland on the Constitution. I hope that those of you who are eligible to vote – many for the first time – will engage in the debate and inform yourselves of the facts, so as to understand why the Constitution is so important for Ireland and for Europe.
Even when times were tougher and the opportunities for quality employment were much more remote, St. Aidan’s produced students that made it to the top in every discipline. Your roll books going back the years, must read almost like a “whose who” of Irish life.
In fact, I believe that, you are well placed to feature in Gay Byrne's 'Class Reunion' at some stage! You have had national and international stars in athletics, soccer and Gaelic Games pass through your doors. And, former pupils have made their mark in every other discipline too. You can count a Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, a Secretary General in the Department of Finance and a Taoiseach amongst your alma mater!
And tonight we witness the success of the future generation. Well done to all of you on your many achievements throughout the year. You are a source of great pride to your teachers, parents and the wider community. I wish you every success for the future.
ENDS.