Mr. David Dalton:

With particular reference to the local community development committees, LCDCs, and building their capacity, one of the biggest challenges for us is building their strategic capacity. They are still very much in the early stages of their evolution. They have only been in place since 2014 but they have developed quite strongly in the past few years, particularly in terms of their operational capacity, but strategic capacity is still a bit of a challenge. The Department is doing a number of things to support that capacity. We have a number of networks in place at a regional level that mirror the regional assembly districts. We support those networks and use them to share best practice. Deputy Pringle mentioned that earlier. That is another avenue by which we support the dissemination of good practice and good ideas both in general in terms of their operation at local level and in terms of specific programmes. We also are developing a capacity development programme for LCDCs in partnership with local authorities and we hope to roll that out in its full iteration from next year. The Department also supports a programme of specific supports around its programmes such as SICAP and LEADER. Mr. Mulherin might be able to speak to that one more specifically. We also provide guidance to LCDCs on their general activities and the local economic and community planning function they have, which is one of their primary functions if not the primary function. That is a mechanism through which they are charged with co-ordinating planning and bringing a more joined-up approach to local and community development and bringing communities on board to develop those co-ordinated and integrated actions at a local level.