Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The taskforce on active citizenship's latest report states:

The Community Development Programme provides community premises, development workers and capacity building projects to disadvantaged communities in over 180 locations throughout the country. These projects are primarily in the most disadvantaged communities. They play a significant role in building community infrastructure and enhancing the capacity of their communities.

How can the Minister of State reconcile that statement with the decision in the budget for 2009 to cut the budget to community development projects by 15%? Will he avail of the opportunity today to give us a firm assurance that the Government will not adopt and implement the savage cuts of €44 million in funding to community development projects and local partnerships proposed in the McCarthy report in budget 2010? Does he agree that if they were implemented they would devastate the network of voluntary and community activists who do Trojan work in all our communities?

Every Member of this House is fully aware, and appreciative, of the major work done in the voluntary and community sector through the supports provided by the community development programmes. These cover child care, meals on wheels, after-school projects, youth groups, literacy groups, drug rehabilitation and many more areas. Active citizens provide all these services. Many of them marched recently in this city in opposition to the cuts proposed in the McCarthy report. Will the Minister of State give us a guarantee and protect these schemes, recognising that such cuts as well as those proposed for the family resource centres will have devastating consequences for the most needy, disadvantaged and marginalised in our society? It is incumbent on all of us, irrespective of the current condition of the economy, to ensure that those sections of our community are protected. Will the Minister of State give us that assurance?

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