Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 202: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans, if any, to develop the community related programmes operated by his Department to meet the needs emerging in the current economic climate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29024/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the initiatives he has taken to date in response to the ongoing economic downturn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29025/10]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals, if any, to date to broaden the various schemes operated by his Department to meet the needs of the current economic situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29026/10]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 to 204, inclusive, together.

As part of the restructuring of Departments and agencies announced in March by the Taoiseach to ensure greater coherence and produce more efficient delivery, my Department incorporated responsibility for social inclusion policy and family policy from the Department of Social Protection and for equality, disability, integration and human rights from the Department of Justice and Law Reform. As stated by the Taoiseach in this context, it is important, while addressing the priority issues in responding to unemployment and driving economic recovery, that we do not lose sight of the importance of social development, the targeting of the most vulnerable and support for those working to make a difference right across our communities.

My Department still has a wide agenda of reform to advance. The next phase, which is under way, concerns improving and joining up the outputs of programmes, as well as further consolidating structures. The Local Development Social Inclusion Programme and the Community Development Programme (LDSIP and CDP) were my Department's two main social inclusion and community development programmes and were delivered through separate local delivery structures. These programmes came to an end on 31 December 2009 and were superseded by a new programme, the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP).

As the Deputy is aware, an implementation strategy involving the stakeholders is underway for LCDP roll-out over the course of 2010. Integrated workplans have now been developed by the local development companies and the CDPs covering all local development company areas. The next phase to the end of June covers the development of local integration plans for reduced structures from January 2011. The new programme will enable groups to more objectively demonstrate the positive impacts and outcomes they are securing to meet the needs of local communities.

As the Deputy is aware, gross savings of some €57 million, or almost 12%, were achieved in the 2010 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) for the then Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Vote relative to the 2009 REV. While the allocations in most expenditure programmes were reduced, the primary concern was to make every effort to ensure that the daily front-line services provided with funding from my Department were protected, especially those focused on the needs of the most socially deprived communities.

The Government's moratorium on staff recruitment and promotion and other associated measures, including the incentivised early retirement scheme, have achieved, and continue to achieve, reductions in staff numbers across my Department and relevant agencies.

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.