Written answers

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Community Development

11:00 pm

Photo of John O'MahonyJohn O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the effect of cutbacks in County Mayo following the cohesion process involving the partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12010/10]

Photo of John O'MahonyJohn O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 246: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the effect on employment in the partnerships of any recent cutbacks; the reduction in remuneration resulting from same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12011/10]

Photo of John O'MahonyJohn O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if it is envisaged that there will be a reduction in core services offered by partnerships specific to the disadvantaged and elderly living in rural isolated areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12012/10]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 to 247, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department was established in 2002 against a background of concern at the multiplicity of structures and agencies through which local and community development schemes and programmes were delivered. It inherited a number of local and community programmes with diverse structures, which had been operated under the aegis of several different Departments. Clearly, there was an inherent danger of fragmentation of services and the diffusion of resources.

The cohesion process initiated by my Department a number of years ago to address these issues resulted in a significant reduction of local delivery structures for a range of rural and local development programmes. Until last year, there were almost 100 partnerships/local development companies and LEADER companies operating. The cohesion process has resulted in that number being reduced to a total of 53 entities providing full county-wide coverage across the country.

Allocations to the local development companies under the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) - which replaced the Local Development Social Inclusion and Community Development Programmes from the beginning of 2010 - are made by Pobal, which manages it on behalf of my Department. Allocations are based on a number of factors, including the size/population of the catchment areas of the companies, the proposed annual programme of activity of each company, the deprivation index for the catchment areas and the available funding for the year. In addition, the indicative allocations for 2010 took account of concentrated levels of urban disadvantage in the catchment areas of urban partnership companies. The allocation for Co Mayo in 2009 was €1,136,953 and is set at €980,176 for 2010, a reduction of the order of 13.8%.

I am aware that the delivery of front-line services and supports on a full-county basis is posing a challenge for some companies but I am strongly of the view that, in the context of reduced overall funding, priority must continue to be given to the most disadvantaged individuals and communities, be they living in rural or urban areas.

I wish to remind the Deputy that my Department has no role in the internal operations of local development/partnership companies and therefore does not have a role in relation to staff employment and remuneration, which are matters for the boards of the companies as the employer. It is a matter for the boards to decide how best to operate with reduced budgets and to address any staffing issues, such as redundancy, which may arise. I would, however, anticipate that, within existing resources, individual companies will approach the issue of staff retention with a view to continued prioritisation of front-line services and will, consequently, examine all options for achieving necessary savings in administration and overheads.

As I have previously indicated, my primary concern is to make every effort to ensure that the front-line services provided by, or supported through, my Department - especially those providing tangible benefits for the most disadvantaged communities - are protected.

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