Written answers

Wednesday, 23 June 2010

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Community Development

10:00 pm

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 157: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views regarding a submission (details supplied); his plans to address the issues expressed; if he plans to meet with this group as an individual group or as part of the overall voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27026/10]

Photo of Pat CareyPat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The organisation referred to by the Deputy is funded under my Department's Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector. It has been allocated funding of €80,352 in 2010. Contracts with the various organisations which are being funded under this Scheme are due to expire on 31 December 2010. Officials in my Department are currently carrying out a review of the Scheme and I hope that this process will be completed by the autumn. On the basis of the findings of the review, I will consider the options available to me.

All organisations involved in the Scheme, including the one referred to by the Deputy, are being consulted as part of the review process. It should be noted that I am planning to meet this week with representatives of 'Voices that Matter', a grouping of national networks and organisations. The organisation referred to by the Deputy is a member of this grouping.

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made on the review of the scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector and the plans for the future funding of national organisations who are responding to the needs of groups experiencing poverty, social exclusion and inequality reflecting the key priorities of the newly realigned Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27039/10]

Photo of Pat CareyPat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Funding contracts under the scheme referred to by the Deputy are due to expire on 31 December 2010. Officials in my Department are currently carrying out a review of the scheme and I hope that this process will be completed by the autumn. On the basis of the findings of the review, I will consider the options available to me. All organisations involved in the scheme are being consulted as part of the review process. It should be noted that I am planning to meet this week with representatives of 'Voices that Matter', a grouping of national networks and organisations in the sector.

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if community development projects seeking to provide plans to deal with their individual cases have received an overall Department plan that would fit all situations or if he will accept a national alternative for similar groups as opposed to a local arrangement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27138/10]

Photo of Pat CareyPat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme and the Community Development Programme were my Department's two main social inclusion/community development programmes. These came to an end on 31 December last and have been superseded by a new integrated programme, the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP). A key difference between the new LCDP and its predecessor programmes is the fact that, when fully implemented, it will be delivered nationally on an integrated basis by a reduced number of companies.

My Department has set out a national model involving full integration of CDPs with local development companies (LDCs), but has made it clear that other options can be considered and that it is not a question of 'one size fits all'. The only option not acceptable is one that seeks to preserve the status quo: some models proposed by CDPs and other parties in the period since the launch of the LCDP have had to be rejected on that basis. However, my Department has been able to respond positively to a number of other alternative models put forward by both LDCs and CDPs. While agreement has not yet been fully finalised in these cases, I am satisfied that the real possibility for agreement exists. Additional proposals from other CDPs and LDCs are also being considered positively but are less developed at this stage. I can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to respond positively to all constructive proposals that it receives and that my officials will continue to be available to meet with the boards of projects.

I am aware that some CDPs have a range of concerns about assets, the impact on local service delivery, local buy-in and accountability. However, I am confident that those issues can be addressed in the implementation process previously outlined by my Department and now under way. In this regard, an information session for stakeholders was held by Pobal, on my Department's behalf, on 10 June last.

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