Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for giving me this opportunity to update the House on the current position on the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, and, in particular, the position of the North Leitrim Women's Centre and the National Collective of Community-based Women's Networks under the programme.

The proposals outlined in Putting People First - Action Programme for Effective Local Government seek to position local government "as the primary vehicle of governance and public service at local level - leading economic, social and community development, delivering efficient and good value services, and representing citizens and local communities effectively and accountably". As part of the programme of reform of local government, local community development committees are being established in all local authority areas. These committees, comprising public-private socio-economic interests, will have responsibility for local and community development programmes on an area basis, including the social inclusion and community activation programme. They will develop, co-ordinate and implement a more coherent and integrated approach to local and community development than heretofore, with the aim of reducing duplication and overlap and optimising the use of available resources for the benefit of citizens and communities.

The SICAP is a key priority of the Government and its budget for next year will be decided in the 2015 Estimates process. In accordance with the public spending code, good practice internationally, legal advice and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, the programme will be subject to a public procurement process, which is under way. The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest in stage 1 of the process was noon last Friday, 11 July.

The public procurement process is a competitive one open to local development companies, other not-for-profit community groups, commercial firms and national organisations such as the NCCWN that can provide the services to be tendered for to deliver the new programme. Joint applications are encouraged and organisations of varying sizes, for example, smaller organisations such as North Leitrim Women's Centre, working in consortia with larger organisations, were invited to submit joint applications. Partner candidates have a role in the delivery and implementation of the programme. All such partner candidates must be identified in the qualification questionnaire and a contracting arrangement may be required between the lead candidate and any partner candidate. Candidates may rely on the resources of other entities in order to satisfy the suitability requirements on condition that they can prove to the satisfaction of Pobal that they will have these resources at their disposal, when necessary.

Applicants in stage 1 of the tendering process must demonstrate that they meet the criteria for the delivery of services in the lots applied for. A total of 31 lots are being offered for tender, based on local authority areas. In some cases, these may be divided into smaller units in stage 2 of the process which will get under way in early September.

In summary, it was possible for the NCCWN to apply to deliver the service in a county or counties and the North Leitrim Women's Centre had the option of partnering with another body to deliver the service in County Leitrim. I am satisfied that the procurement process under way is in line with good practice and that the procurement documentation on e-Tenders contains all of the relevant information on the process.

I look forward to the outcome of the procurement process towards the end of the year and the roll-out of the SICAP in January 2015.