Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There are no proposals to amalgamate local development companies into local authorities. The repot, Putting People First: Action Programme for Effective Local Government, recommends greater alignment between local government and local development, including the 51 local development companies that currently deliver important programmes for the Department. This follows from the Government's acceptance of the recommendations made by the steering group on alignment between local government and local development. The group's report was published alongside Putting People First and is available on the Department's website at www.environ.ie. Under those recommendations, local development companies will continue to have a role in local development activities and programmes. The availability of funding to local development companies and the level of such funding is dependent on the programme activities that they are contracted to deliver, and therefore ring-fencing of funding has not in the past arisen and does not now arise. In line with the alignment steering group's recommendations, the local development model is to be retained and local development companies will continue to have a delivery role.

Both the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and the Department have met the representatives of local development companies on these matters and this dialogue will continue as the alignment process is advanced.

Both the Minister, Deputy Hogan, and the Department officials have met representatives of local development companies on these matters. This dialogue will continue as the alignment process is advanced.

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