Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

If it is not broken, why fix it, is a generally accepted common sense principle which particularly applies to local development companies which have been doing Trojan work over the years. They have played a central role in developing and supporting local enterprises while sustaining jobs. They have provided local services across the country, including social inclusion programmes, while directly employing 2,000 people and supporting thousands of ancillary positions through schemes. In 2014, local development companies are expected to spend up to €50 million. There is no need whatever to change a successful system that works well.

We should also extend these companies' remit into the area of RAPID funding, which the Government abolished, for disadvantaged communities which did not benefit from the so-called Celtic tiger years such as Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary town and significant parts of Clonmel. RAPID funding for these areas has effectively been abolished. It should be put back in place and operated through the local development companies. Such funding allowed for community programmes, supports for youth services and programmes and community policing to be put in place in disadvantaged areas.

The changes proposed to the delivery of local development companies will be detrimental to social inclusion and local development. I particularly object to the tendering of these services to for-profit organisations. This is an area that should be exclusively operated through local community organisations.

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