Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the impact of a reduction in the local development inclusion programme (details supplied) in County Clare; his views regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43979/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Development Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP) is a series of measures that are designed to counter disadvantage and to promote equality and social and economic inclusion. 37 Integrated Local Development Companies and 16 Urban Partnerships implement LDSIP locally. An allocation of €890,829 has been provided to the group referred to by the Deputy for the delivery of the programme in 2009 in County Clare.

The LDSIP and the Community Development Programme (CDP) are the Department's two main social inclusion-community development programmes. Both have a community development element and have been delivered through separate local delivery structures. For some time now my Department has been aware of the need to redesign and streamline these two programmes.

In this connection, the Centre for Effective Services has very recently presented a new Programme outline to my Department, which I propose to accept. The new Programme will preserve elements of good practice from the existing CDP/LDSIP programmes and will enhance monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. An implementation strategy, involving the stakeholders, is underway in preparation for programme roll-out in 2010. This has been discussed with representatives from CDPs, Urban Partnerships and Integrated Companies at an Information Session which was held on Wednesday 25th November.

As previously signalled, it is my intention that CDP's, Urban Partnerships and Integrated Company structures should align, so as to minimise structures and provide a single integrated delivery structure for all areas. In advance of decisions in the context of the 2010 budget, it is not possible to anticipate levels of funding available for the integrated programme next year.

While I cannot be specific at this stage about the impact on specific bodies in particular areas, the overall aim is to ensure that, from 2010, disadvantaged communities will benefit from a more focused programme with clear objectives and simplified and streamlined delivery structures, leading to significant administrative savings and impact efficiencies.