Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which his Department continues to engage with locally based community groups with a view to addressing and supporting areas of social and economic deprivation throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46530/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The key objectives of my Department’s Community Division are to facilitate integrated development at local level and foster vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities; and to support the Community and Voluntary Sector in its contribution to an active, democratic and pluralist society. My Department continues to be responsible for a range of programmes and initiatives to support communities including the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP), the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP), the Seniors Alert Scheme, RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) Programme, the Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector and the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising. 

The objective of the LCDP is to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership and constructive engagement between Government, its agencies, and people in disadvantaged communities. It is a key tool of Government in providing supports for the ‘harder to reach’ in the most disadvantaged areas in society.  The Government’s commitment to enabling rural communities to become self sufficient has been reaffirmed this year through increased funding for Axes 3 & 4 (LEADER Axes) of the RDP giving a total allocation for 2012 of €96 million. The LEADER approach ensures that communities are involved and have a say in their own development choices.

The local government reform programme, which I published on 16 October, will bring about fundamental change in the local government system whereby local authorities will lead on economic, social and community development, as well as delivering efficient services that are good value. In this connection, local government will play an important role in the oversight and planning of local and community development programmes having regard to the recommendations of the Steering Group on the alignment of the local government and local and community development sectors. The local government reform programme also sets out an enhanced role for local authorities in stimulating citizen participation through strengthened community/citizen engagement on the part of local government and increased public participation in local government.