Davy Hickey funds DCU scheme

Davy Hickey Properties, the developer behind much of the Citywest business campus, is putting up €460,000 for scholarships and…

Davy Hickey Properties, the developer behind much of the Citywest business campus, is putting up €460,000 for scholarships and workshops for students in Dublin 24, where the campus is located.

The programme, run in collaboration with the Dublin City University Ryan Academy for Entrepreneurship, offers career workshops, career shadowing and DCU scholarships for disadvantaged students from the area.

Currently, only 40 per cent of Leaving Certificate students from Dublin 24 go on to third-level education, according to a recent Higher Education Authority study.

The programme's participants come from six area schools including St Mark's Community School, Killinarden Community School and Tallaght Community School.

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"We just think it's something we should do," said Brendan Hickey, managing director of Davy Hickey Properties. He added that the programme was a "proactive attempt" to encourage students to pursue a higher education.

The programme could also "uncover future entrepreneurs", Mr Hickey said.

The possibility of a scholarship to DCU would be a "big relief" in funding a third-level education, said Brian Gregan, a 16-year-old student at St Mark's Community School. He added that he was interested in a sports science and health degree from DCU.

Though the programme was just starting, 17-year-old Robert Fitzsimons, also from St Mark's, hoped to benefit from the programme to pursue a degree in physical education.

The DCU Citywest Community Invest Programme was launched by Tánaiste Mary Harney and will run for eight years.