Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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440. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the role that he is playing in the reorganisation and restructure of the partnership companies; if he will set out the process and if resources will increase if partnership companies areas increase (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2489/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Putting People First an Action Programme for Effective Local Government, provides for a more central role for local government in the oversight and planning of local and community development programming, in line with the recommendations made by the steering group on alignment between local government and local development.  The alignment steering group proposed the implementation of shared service arrangements between local development companies and between local development companies, and county/city councils, to reduce the structures and resources required to administer programmes, freeing up specialised resources for frontline service delivery and thus achieving greater value for money in the delivery of services for the citizen.  My Department has already contacted local authorities and local development companies in this regard and shared service arrangements are already underway in some areas. Separately in June 2012, in advance of the publication of Putting People First, my Department requested that CPLN Local Development Company, Dodder Valley Local Development Company and South Dublin County Council (SDCC) develop a plan to establish a single structure for Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) delivery in the two areas in question.  The new structure will operate within the SDCC boundary and will facilitate the generation of efficiencies.  In the longer term it will allow a more effective sharing of resources, reducing overall administration and operating costs, while at the same time preserving the core, front-line element of the LCDP. Following consultations between my Department, the Chairpersons, CEOs and Boards of Management of both companies and SDCC, an agreement was reached. This involved the establishment of a single Company by the end of 2012 to promote and deliver Local and Community Development Programmes in the South County Dublin Area. In advancing this work and the broader alignment initiative, I am concerned that the integrity of the local development model is protected as outlined in the Alignment Report, while bearing in mind our fiscal constraints.