Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing me to raise this matter. I also thank the Minister of State for coming in to the House, as he has line responsibility for the subject matter of the motion.

Earlier this year the Minister of State and his departmental officials indicated their intention to modify the community development programme which was created to support and resource local communities during the recession of the 1980s and early 1990s. We are now facing closure, amalgamation or a threat to stop people's community-based activities. Last week the CSO reported that one in seven people was at risk of poverty. I pay tribute to those involved in the community development projects in Ballyphehane, Togher and Mahon. We need development projects based in the community that allow local people to be responsible for and responsive to the needs of their communities. Community projects empower local people.

I understand the Minister of State is centralising the bureaucracy away from local communities at a time when disadvantaged communities need support more than ever. It is a regressive move. If the line indicated in the McCarthy report is taken, it will reduce the number of structures, have an adverse effect on community-run projects and take away what has been built and developed by local voluntary management boards. Members of these boards are not aloof or inanimate; they are living in a community. They are vibrant, know what is happening and have great empathy. The individuals running the boards in Ballyphehane, Togher and Mahon in Cork South-Central are wonderful people, as are the two co-ordinators.

Community development project teams work with people most adversely affected by poverty and their exclusion from efforts to promote development and be an active force will have an impact. They know the needs of their communities. The boards contain volunteers who are being forced to make a choice between funding and autonomy. The Minister of State has made no attempt to allow people to opt or buy in to protect local structures and the assets of the communities that provided them. The McCarthy report proposes a cut in the community development budget which we have seen in today's budget. We are taking responsibility for the budget away from local communities and centralising it, which is wrong. I would like to hear the Minister of State expand on his proposition regarding the integrated structure and the removal of autonomy from local boards.

It is important to pay tribute to community development projects as part of which a range of programmes are provided. They are key playmakers in the social inclusion programme. As the Minister of State knows, there is a geographical spread and the projects are run by voluntary boards, the members of which know what is happening in and know the needs of their communities. They are working with fellow citizens to build sustainable integrated communities, be it in education, anti-poverty, social inclusion, promotion of back to education and literacy programmes. I use the example of the projects based in Ballyphehane, Togher, with which I am familiar, and Mahon. Those involved have a very good grasp and understanding of the needs of local people and have worked to increase the level of participation in the community and promote a sense of belonging. If one attends on any of the prize-giving nights for FETAC or other awards, one will see that there is a great sense of community, a great awareness of what is happening and a great participation rate.

We can talk about the social and economic costs, but we need to communicate with and consult the National Community Development Forum, NCDF, and the Community Workers' Co-operative. We cannot quantify the work being done on the ground. The Minister of State's plans to integrate responsibility need to be slowed down in order that there can be consultation to bring the best of people with us.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this issue. My Department was established against a background of concern at the multiplicity of structures and agencies through which local and community development schemes and programmes are delivered. The Department inherited many local and community programmes that had been established and operated under different Departments. There was an inherent danger of fragmentation of services and the diffusion of resources. The cohesion process initiated by the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, to address these concerns resulted in a dramatic reduction and simplification of local delivery structures for a range of rural development and community development programmes. However, my Department still has a wide agenda of reform to advance. The next phase which is under way concerns improving and joining up the outputs of programmes, as well as further consolidating structures.

As I outlined previously to the Dáil, my Department has seen the need to redesign its community development and social inclusion programmes, particularly the local development social inclusion programme, LDSIP, and community development programme, CDP, drawing on best international practice, and to support their ongoing evaluation. The LDSIP and the CDP are the Department's two main social inclusion and community development programmes. They both have a community development element and are delivered through separate local delivery structures. These programmes come to an end on 31 December 2009 and will be superseded by a new programme, the local and community development programme. The Centre for Effective Services recently presented the outline of the new programme to me, which I accepted. The aim of the new programme is to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership and constructive engagement between Government and its agencies and people in disadvantaged communities. This will be underpinned by four high level goals: to promote awareness, knowledge and uptake of a wide range of statutory, voluntary and community services; to increase access to formal and informal educational, recreational and cultural development activities and resources; to increase people's work readiness and employment prospects; and to promote engagement with policy, practice and decision making processes on matters affecting local communities. The new programme will preserve elements of good practice from the existing CDP-LDSIP programmes and will enhance monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Further work by the Centre for Effective Services on more detailed aspects of the programme is ongoing in light of consultation with and feedback from various community sector groups.

Before proceeding to establish a single programme across the CDPs and partnerships, my Department undertook an evaluation of individual community development projects, many of which span two decades, with quite diverse activities. The objective of the review is to identify those projects that produce tangible, appropriate benefits for the communities they serve. The vast majority of projects fall into this category and funding will be available, subject to budgetary constraints, through the new programme in 2010. This work is now completed and I understand the outcome will shortly be notified to all concerned. For those projects that do not come into this category, continued funding from the Department will not be available. However, an appeals mechanism has been put in place.

I am sure no one here questions my commitment, or that of my Department, to local and community development. The new integrated programme is a major step forward and I am particularly pleased that, notwithstanding severe budgetary constraints, the case we made for the new programme was accepted in determining allocations and its potential value was recognised. On that basis, we were able to secure major funding for the programme for 2010. In that context, I am pleased to say the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, and I have been able to ring-fence funding for CDPs that are continuing and maintain funding for these at 2009 levels. In few other areas of public spending has it been possible to do this.

We have taken care in the design of the implementation process for the new programme and allowed more than enough time to ensure the objective of integrated service delivery can be achieved. Once CDPs sign up to the new programme, the first tranche of 2010 funding will be provided. This allows for service continuity from day one. A process of engagement will begin in early 2010, with the CDPs and local development companies or partnerships agreeing at local level how the programme is to be delivered for the rest of the year. My Department and Pobal will be providing a range of supports to ensure the process is successful. At the same time, all stakeholders will be working together to put in place a plan to ensure integrated service delivery and structures for the period after 2010. My Department and Pobal will also be supporting that process and working with all key stakeholders.

The Department has set out a model for integrated service delivery and structures at a local level and I am aware there is opposition to these among some CDPs. However, we have said repeatedly that it is up to the CDPs and the local development companies to bring forward other models. We have also stated repeatedly that if those models are better than ours we will accept them. So far, no one has come forward with any such models, although there is plenty of time yet.

It may be that CDPs simply want the current arrangements to continue, but this is not an option. Up to now, we have had two separate programmes delivered by separate companies. From 1 January 2010, we will have one integrated programme and for that we need integrated service delivery and structures. I am aware that CDPs have concerns about assets, the impact on local service delivery, local buy-in and accountability. Every one of those issues, and any other issues arising, can be addressed fully in the implementation process I have outlined. There will be time to address all of this in 2010.

It is also important to note that no decisions are required on any of these issues until mid-2010 at the earliest and even then the objective will be to secure local agreement on all issues before any final decisions are taken or implemented. If that is not already clear to CDPs, my Department will clarify these matters in the next few days when offering funding under the new programme for 2010.

The way forward is for CDPs to sign up to the new programme. In this way they can take the real opportunity they now have to continue the good work they are doing in their communities and to have a positive influence on the delivery of the new programme. Those who have at heart the best interests of the communities we serve will recommend early sign-up.

Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)
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There are two problems with the Minister's reply. The availability of funding is conditional upon signing up; if groups do not sign up they will not get their funding, which is wrong. There has not been proper dialogue and consultation with the CDPs. There is also the outstanding question of the removal of the voluntary boards and assets, which has not been addressed. It is important to put this in context. The CDPs have said they are willing to engage in consultation and I appeal to the Minister of State to do the same at this late stage.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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It is relevant to the issue of assets, and many others, that the implementation phase runs for a year, particularly because there is a wide range of issues involved.

We have been considering this issue for a few months. The Senator referred specifically to the McCarthy report. It is important to point out that the funding made available to our Department in today's budget allows the single integrated programme to go ahead. If what was recommended in the McCarthy report had been implemented today we would not be having this debate. There is adequate time to deal with the issue. I encourage all groups to accept this is about community development. We have a variety of structures and we are trying to implement a single integrated programme which will benefit the communities we all strive to serve.