Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I will give a very direct answer to Deputy Wall this time. I meant to do so first time and I hope I did so. It is not my intention, it is not the Department's intention and I certainly do not think it was my predecessor's intention to have any diminution in the intensity and vigour of community development work in this country. I do not want to see that happen. I acknowledge and recognise the superb work being done throughout the country by many projects, including community development projects. However, the vast majority of these interventions have been in existence for the best part of 20 years. Any intervention in the community development area or any area that is not prepared to look at itself, have itself examined and evaluate whether it is doing the job that is appropriate to today has questions to answer. These projects were very appropriate when they were established in the 1980s. The vast majority of them that were able to evolve over that period are still very relevant.

I visited a number of projects in recent weeks. In Cork, I saw community development projects that were the drivers of development. They made very good interventions. Unfortunately, elsewhere in the country I saw community development projects that had become isolated from some innovative work. To answer the Deputy's question, I do not want to see any group that feels it has been doing very good work to be thrown to the four winds. The Department has always stated it will assist in whatever way it can to try to help those projects that perhaps did not meet the standard set by the Department and its evaluators as centres for effective services.

On the question on whether there is agreement now, there is not total agreement by any means. The majority of groups has seen the merit of going down the integration route. There are a number of models.

I met a number of people who were able to tell me that in different parts of the country interest models were beginning to evolve. As the Deputy is aware, last night was the cut-off point for those groups to sign up. I was very conscious of the fact that if I gave any indication of a model I favoured early on, everybody would run after it. There are a number of them in different parts of the country. Members in this House from all parties have suggested to me that there are models of potentially good practice.

Over the next weeks and months my officials and I will be working out how we can make the best impact on people's lives because ultimately, this is about having an impact in, by and large, marginalised and disadvantaged communities throughout the country, whether they are urban or rural. It has to be done. They will in time become part of a very effective overall plan. There will be some teething problems and bedding down will be needed but the essence of the model and the approach that has been taken is the correct one for the moment.

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