Written answers

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Community Development Initiatives

Photo of John HalliganJohn Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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390. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government following on from the recent announcement by him that the proposed social inclusion community activation programme will replace the current community development programme, if he will consider permitting national organisations tender for work as this may have a detrimental effect on local community groups who currently operate on a national collective level; alternatively if he will commit to ring fencing funding locally for groups at a level at which they have been operating successfully under the community development programmes for the past number of years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27204/14]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The proposals outlined in Putting People First - Action Programme for Effective Local Governmentseek to position local government “as the primary vehicle of governance and public service at local level – leading economic, social and community development, delivering efficient and good value services, and representing citizens and local communities effectively and accountably”.

As part of the programme of reform of local government, Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) are being established in all local authority areas.  These Committees, comprising public-private socio-economic interests, will have responsibility for local and community development programmes on an area basis, including the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP).  They will develop, co-ordinate and implement a more coherent and integrated approach to local and community development than heretofore, with the aim of reducing duplication and overlap and optimising the use of available resources for the benefit of citizens and communities.

The SICAP is one of my key priorities and its budget for next year will be decided in the 2015 Estimates process. In accordance with the Public Spending Code, best practice internationally, legal advice and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, the Programme is subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway. The public procurement process is a competitive process that is open to Local Development Companies, other not-for-profit community groups, commercial firms and national organisations, that can provide the services to be tendered for to deliver the new Programme. Joint applications are encouraged and organisations of varying sizes (for example smaller organisations working in consortia with larger organisations) are invited to submit joint applications. Applicants at stage one of the tendering process must demonstrate that they meet the criteria for the delivery of services in the Lot(s) applied for.

I am satisfied that the procurement process underway is in line with best practice and that the procurement documentation on e-Tenders contains all the relevant information on the process. I look forward to the outcome of the process and the roll out of SICAP in January 2015.

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