Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will report on a company (details supplied); the structures and criteria applied; the composition and criteria applied for the setting up of the Clare board; if the Clare Community Forum will be represented on this board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24266/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to previous questions on this topic, including Questions Nos. 10 and 11 of 3rd of April 2008 and 184 and 194 of 14 May 2008. My Department has over the past number of years being pursuing a process of cohesion of local delivery structures in order to simplify and enhance the effectiveness of the delivery of a range of local development programmes. Following an extensive consultation phase, Government decided on distinct local development operational areas and clarified the arrangements in relation to the membership of the boards of these bodies. LEADER and Partnership groups have been asked to give effect to these decisions and my Department has provided detailed guidelines to secure this outcome. The Guidelines set out the Department's mandatory requirements in relation to the size and representative elements of the boards of local development companies and provide for a transparent selection process of board members.

The appointment of the Board is primarily a matter for the Board of the company. In relation to the selection of representatives from the Community and Voluntary Sector, the Guidelines provide that representatives should have a clear mandate from their nominating organisations and the nominating organisations should have a proven track record of community development work including social inclusion and/or rural development work. In addition, where the Company opts to oversee the selection of community and voluntary sector candidates itself, it is required to work with the Director of Services for Community and Enterprise to ensure that no Community and Voluntary organisation active within its area and registered with the Community and Voluntary Forum is excluded from the process.

An integrated company was incorporated in Clare on the 19th of November 2007. The Director of Services for Community and Enterprise has confirmed to my Department that the nomination procedure adopted by the company adheres to the criteria in the Guidelines. In light of the confirmation received, my Department has given the Company approval to initiate the selection process of candidates from the community sector. I understand that this process is now underway. The Guidelines are available to Deputies in the Dáil Library and are on my Department's website — www.pobail.ie