Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position with the issuing of long-term contracts of employment to employees of community development projects funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22599/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Responsibility for the issuing of contracts of employment to community development project, CDP, staff is a matter for the management committee of each project. My Department has no legal responsibility for the employment of CDP staff. It should also be noted that two thirds of the funding provided to CDPs comes from sources other than my Department.

CDPs have traditionally been funded on the basis of a three-year renewable contract. In line with the expiration of the National Development Plan 2000-2006, the majority of projects are on contract up to the end of December 2006. The remaining projects are involved in a contract renewal process, which will result in the offer of contracts to the end of 2006, subject to evidence of satisfactory progress over the course of the previous contract.

Beyond 2006, I anticipate that community development projects will continue to receive support within the framework of three-year renewable contracts. Such arrangements are supportive to the provision of contracts to CDP staff.