Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

568. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if a meeting with a group (details supplied) in Dublin 10 will be facilitated in view of an earlier indication by him to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2773/15]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

569. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to reverse the cut of a further 6.5% in the funding of an organisation (details supplied) in Dublin 10. [2776/15]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

570. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding funding to a group (details supplied) in Dublin 10 in view of verbal assurances given by an officer in his Department; if the group will receive interim funding after 31 March 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2778/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 to 570, inclusive, together.

My Department's Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) superseded the Local Development Social Inclusion and the Community Development Programmes in 2010. LCDP is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The current Programme officially ended at the end of 2013 having operated for four years with funding of €281 million over that period. It is being implemented on a transitional basis until March 2015, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in April 2015.

In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of the services to clients, SICAP is subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway. The closing date for receipt of tenders under stage two was noon on 19 December 2014. The tenders received are currently being evaluated and tenderers will be informed of the outcome by mid February. Contracts for SICAP will be determined following the outcome of the procurement process.

The procurement process for SICAP was 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. In Stage one, joint applications were encouraged and organisations of varying sizes (for example smaller organisations working in consortia with larger organisations) were invited to submit joint applications.

Consistent with the transitional arrangements to extend the LCDP until the roll out of SICAP in April 2015 and to ensure business continuity, interim LCDP funding will be provided to the Cherry Orchard Equine, Education and Training Centre up to end March 2015, pending the outcome of the SICAP competitive process. As Stage two of the process (Invitation to Tender) is currently underway, I am not in a position to meet with the group concerned at this time.

My Department appreciates the importance of the work of the Cherry Orchard Equine, Education and Training Centre. Nevertheless, the issues involved are broader than just those relating to SICAP. However, it is my Department’s intention to examine the position with regards to a number of groups, including the Cherry Orchard Equine, Education and Training Centre, in the near future and my Department will be in contact with the group in that regard.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

571. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans regarding the 2015 funding for an organisation (details supplied); if he will arrange to meet with these two national networks as a matter of urgency to discuss their future funding arrangements. [2779/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The current Programme officially ended at the end of 2013 having operated for four years with funding of €281 million over that period.  It is being implemented on a transitional basis until March 2015, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in April 2015. In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP 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. In Stage one, joint applications were encouraged and organisations of varying sizes (for example smaller organisations working in consortia with larger organisations) were invited to submit joint applications. That said, I understand that some small groups, such as the groups under the remit of the National Collective of Community Based Networks (NCCWN) and the National Traveller Partnership (NTP), faced a number of challenges in competing in the Stage one process. The results of Stage one were released on 24 September 2014 and I can confirm that none of the NCCWN groups expressed an interest either as lead applicants or as part of a consortium. I am now considering the implications of that for NCCWN and my Department is liaising with other relevant Departments to find a workable solution. My Department will be arranging a meeting with the NCCWN shortly.

With regard to NTP, the majority of its affiliated groups did express an interest at stage one, as part of consortia. The outcome of the SICAP procurement process will be known next month.

Separate to, and outside of SICAP, discussions with the Department of Justice and Equality are nearing conclusion to design a Traveller support scheme based on, inter alia, Traveller Inter Agency projects and supports.

I can confirm that interim LCDP funding, based on a small budgetary reduction in the order of 6.5%, on 2014 levels, will be provided to NCCWN and NTP up to end March 2015.