Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the supports that will be available to the volunteer management committees of 180 local community development projects after the contracts of the six regional support agencies are terminated by his Department on 31 May 2008. [12264/08]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 27: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans for the continued provision of support services to the various community development projects, in view of the fact that the contract with Framework will end in May 2008; if his Department has identified the support structures needed by the various community development projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12465/08]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will make a statement providing a clear explanation of the reason the Government are abandoning the existing regional support structure for the volunteer management committees of 180 local community development projects. [12263/08]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 20, 27 and 41 together.

I would like to refer the Deputies to my previous response to Question No. 433 of 19th February 2008. My Department cannot extend these publicly procured contracts on an indefinite basis and tenders for support services will be advertised publicly in the very near future as part of the development of future support services for the Programme. A key objective of my Department is to ensure that the skills and talents of the volunteers and staff of Projects are recognised and developed to enable the objectives of the Programme to be realised. To this end, Projects have recently been afforded the opportunity and resources to determine their own particular support requirements in addition to those supports provided and funded centrally by the Department.