Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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243. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received correspondence from Comhdáil Oileán na hÉireann regarding the alignment process and the offshore islands; his views on their proposal that an island based organisation deliver the SICAP and Leader programmes on all the inhabited offshore islands from 2015 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38625/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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I have received, and am considering, the correspondence from Comhdáil Oileán na hÉireann, which advocates for a single island-based body to deliver the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and the new LEADER programme on the offshore islands.

Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) have been established in all local authority areas to oversee and manage a range of local development programmes, including SICAP and LEADER. While each LCDC will plan and manage the delivery of programme activity within its respective local authority area, it would be possible for a single representative organisation to implement programme actions across a number of different LCDC areas where this can be agreed locally within the administrative requirements of the various programmes.

Under the LEADER Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, local development strategy areas have been designated to coincide largely with local authority boundaries. While a separate strategy is not envisaged, distinct and separate provision will be made for the islands within the respective county-based strategies in accordance with identified priorities and need. Moreover, where it can be agreed locally between local authorities, local development companies and other key local stakeholders, it is envisaged that the existing companies, such as Comhar na n-Oileán, would continue to implement LEADER within their current sub-county areas, albeit under separate county-based local development strategies.

The situation with SICAP is somewhat different as it is subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway. Similar to LEADER, programme delivery across a number of sub-county areas by a single body is possible, with programme funding allocated on the basis of identified need in those areas. Until such time as the outcome of the procurement process is known and contracts are awarded, however, I am unable to confirm the exact delivery arrangements for any area, including the islands.