Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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457. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on current proposals to realign local development companies; his views that their role will be overtaken by county socio-economic committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18925/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Following on from the publication of Putting People First - Action Programme for Effective Local Government, an Alignment Working Group has been established to assist and advise on the implementation of the recommendations of the Local Government/Local Development Alignment Steering Group. The Working Group is currently overseeing the practical arrangements necessary to give effect to the new local structures, including the establishment of Socio-Economic Committees in each local authority administrative area.

Socio-Economic Committees will have responsibility for planning, oversight and management of local development and community development interventions at a local level. Local development companies will continue to have an important role in implementing the programmes for which they are contracted by my Department and others . In this regard, they will be key partners on the Socio-Economic Committees. The value of Socio-Economic Committees will be to provide for a broader-based collaboration across a wider range of publicly-funded programmes and entities, over and above those contracted to local development companies. This broader collaboration is aimed at bringing a greater strategic coherence to the implementation of such programmes at local level, for the benefit of our citizens and communities.