Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

534. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by community groups around the way SICAP is being implemented, specifically the danger that this programme will put communities and community groups in competition with one another; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3685/15]

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

My Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) superseded the Local Development Social Inclusion and the Community Development Programmes in 2010.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 next, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in April next.

As part of the programme of reform of local government, Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) were established in all local authorities. These Committees, comprising public-private socio-economic interests, will have responsibility for local and community development programmes on an area basis. 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 new SICAP is one of my key priorities and targets a range of groups across communities. 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, the Programme is subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway. Stage one (Expression of Interest) has been completed. Stage two (Invitation to Tender), got underway on 20th October 2014 and involved the successful applicants from Stage one being invited to apply to one or more Local Community Development Committees, in Local Authority areas, to deliver the programme. Contracts for SICAP will be determined following the outcome of the procurement process. 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.

It should be noted that 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.

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 April 2015.

All groups who received LCDP funding in 2014 are being funded through LCDP interim arrangements until 31 March next, pending the outcome of the SICAP competitive process.