Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

The statement from the Minister of State does not reflect what I have heard. The community platform has sought a delay in this process but I believe the Minister is bullying communities into submission. Such actions are a rebuff to the Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs which sent a letter by unanimous decision. That letter was not acted upon by the Minister. Often, there is discussion on community involvement and activities. Some boards have been called upon to sign up to integration with development companies of which they are not even aware. They have been informed that they will be notified at a later stage of the details of the relevant local development company. This is a disgrace, given the commitment that the boards of management have displayed in respect of the communities. Many boards of management initiated the community groups but they are now informed that they are surplus to requirements and that they will be put to one side.

I refer to the appeals mechanism. Any appeal mechanism involved in this area should be independent of the Department, as should any process to provide for natural justice. This is no reflection on the people in the Department but no one could seriously suggest there should be an appeals mechanism put in place constituted of members of the Minister's Department to consider its decisions? It does not stand up. Immediately there is a doubt raised by anyone who makes a case using such a mechanism. The 30 CDPs would be under considerable pressure and the first thing they would suggest is that they have no hope because the appeals mechanism has no independent identity. Even if the chairman of the appeals board were from outside the Department I could accept it. However, I cannot accept it because the appeals board is made up of three people from within the Department derived from whatever section.

We are all keen for this to work. The Minister of State will be aware better than most people that we have supported this measure in every shape and form, despite the financial implications and so on. I call on the Minister of State to bring everyone with us, to re-examine the boards of management and the appeals mechanism and not to insist that CDPs sign up to an unknown local development company to which they have no links to date. These are three measures which can be done to move this project forward.

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