Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will transfer responsibility for local development companies-partnerships to the city-county development boards which also have a social inclusion aspect to them. [10430/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Community related functions of the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs transferred to my Department on 1 May 2011. The former Department had, over the past number of years, pursued 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.

This process has resulted in the realignment of local delivery structures and has reduced the overall number of local development bodies from 94 to 52. These comprise 15 Local Development Companies (LDCs) in urban areas and 37 in rural areas.

The current phase of this work, which is well advanced, is focused on integrating some 160 Community Development Projects across the country with the 52 LDCs. This process has been the subject of extensive engagement with the various stakeholders and is due to be completed in the coming months.

While I have no immediate plans to transfer responsibility for the Local Development Companies to the City/County Development Boards, my Department will continue to work towards identifying further efficiencies to bring about more effective delivery of services and supports for citizens at a local level. This will include the consideration of options for the greater alignment of local development arrangements and Local Government in accordance with the Programme for Government.

The City/County Development Boards (CDBs) already play a key role in endorsing the strategic plans of the Local Development Companies operating within their areas. This process facilitates and promotes a co-ordinated delivery of the services provided by the LDCs at local level, by ensuring complementarity between their individual plans and the CDB Strategy for the relevant county/city. It aims to avoid duplication of work by the local bodies concerned and allow CDBs to identify gaps in the work being carried out by the various local bodies, thereby helping to maximise the impact of programmes for local communities.