Vol. 556 No. 1
49 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the proposals he has for a review of local development structures as recommended by the task force on the integration of local government and local development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19317/02]
As the Deputy will be aware, the foundations for achieving a more integrated and streamlined approach to local development initiatives were set out in the report of the task force on the integration of local government and local development. Since its approval by Government work has been proceeding on its implementation, including the appointment of directors of community and enterprise, the establishment of city and county development boards and the publication of new city and county strategies for economic, social and cultural development.
Since the establishment of the city and county development boards, all area partnership companies and community groups have been participating fully in their work. Their strategic plans must demonstrate evidence of linkage and co-ordination within the framework of city and county development boards. Funding of these groups in respect of these plans, which is administered by Area Development Management Limited, is conditional on the plans having been agreed with the director of community and enterprise of the appropriate city or county development board.
Funding for these plans will run up until the mid-term review of the national development plan in 2003 and in the meantime delivery methods for social inclusion measures at local level, including the role of area based partnerships, will be examined within the context of the economic, social and cultural strategies of the city and county development boards and the work of the task force on the integration of local government and local development, on which my Department is represented. The boards are mandated to bring about a more integrated approach to the delivery of public and local development services.
Peculiarly enough, the answer is almost identical to one given on 7 March by Deputy Eoin Ryan, former Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation .
The question was probably the same also.
Questions are set in time but answers are not. Obviously there has not been much progress. Will the Minister address the issue of the directors of community and enterprise who have to approve funding plans? How successful is this? Is it making any substantial change? Will the answer be that we wait until the Minister starts another talking shop in the middle of 2003?
The Deputy seems to think that I engage in talking shops. Most people recognise that my record is based on much action on the ground everywhere. If the Deputy goes to Gort na Rinne they will testify to this. When I entered the Department one of the first things I decided to do was to map the area partnership areas, the CDSP areas, the leader areas, the RAPID areas, the urban areas and the areas of community which are a form of ADM. I decided to draw a map to see how they all overlap. It is time this was examined and rationalised. The Department was set up to make this more rational. After four months in the Department and much reading and studying of the issue I am still utterly confused about all the agencies and exactly what they are all doing. I do not think that too many Deputies would claim to be able to get 100% in an examination on this issue.
The Minister would certainly not get 100% on this issue. Whatever he says in fulsome praise of himself – we are all entitled to be arrogant if we want to – the reality is that he gave the same answer as was given on 7 March 2002 by the last Government. He says he is indulging in a lot of reading but it is action we need, not reading or talk. I acknowledge that money has gone into the Ring Gaeltacht – not surprising during the Celtic tiger era – but I vainly tried to enlist the Minister's aid regarding the provision of a sports hall for Mean Scoil Naomh San Nioclás in Ring, which is unique as a secondary school in a Gaeltacht. Rather than give smart answers and indulge in self-praise, will the Minister tell us what is happening? I asked a simple question which he has evaded with vainglorious nonsense. Does the Minister of State have any idea whether the directors of community and enterprise are making any difference in terms of the effectiveness of the sector on the ground?
The question was focused towards the directors of community and enterprise and, as the Deputy is aware, that part of the structure in the CBD is the day to day responsibility of the Department of the Environment and Local Government, not this Department. Where my Department comes in relates to the partnerships, the Leader companies, the CDSPs and so on. As well as that, we have an interesting side model in the form of the Gaeltacht co-operatives. I am looking at all these varied models working in rural areas and I am trying to extrapolate all the information as to how they work. This is no small task but I will come forward with ideas as to how to streamline the system. In rural areas, there is a question as to whether a partnership and a Leader company operating in the same area with two offices and two financial structures and so on is a good idea. Some work in duplicate and some do not, and that is an issue we will examine quickly.
The relationship between the CDSPs and the communities needs to be examined and action taken, but the Deputy will appreciate that the first thing one does in a Department is read up on what is happening. We had the intervention of a short holiday and since then I have been trying to get the information together and get these maps so I can examine this matter in a coherent way. I met ADM's board last week to discuss these issues.
Does the Minister accept that one of the factors that is most frustrating the effect of integration of local government and development systems is the degree of distrust which exists between the elected public representatives of the local development structures who see them not as structures with which to co-operate but as structures that are in competition with them? Does he agree there is a need to put forward clear reasons as to why both exist and what they can do? Is there not a problem on the other side of the equation in terms of volunteer training and development of people who are mainly within the structures of the local development systems? A sum of £5 million was promised under the PPF for volunteer training but it has not materialised nor has the £2 million that was talked about in the White Paper on supporting volunteer activity. Will the Minister outline whether it is his intention to put in place such funding and methods to overcome the degree of distrust that exists?
This is not confined to public representatives to whom I must give primacy. We are the only ones elected by the people and primacy must go to those who represent the people in this Parliament. Any of us who deviate from that are doing a disservice to democracy.
The question is whether to exclude public representatives from local community decision-making—
The Minister to reply without interruption.
I will not make specific points in that regard now. Schemes tend to operate on a county basis in this country and having areas that span county boundaries creates difficulties. This is something I want to examine. There is a debate on the ground on the great differences between rural and urban Ireland. From the experience of my volunteer years, we did not think we needed eternal training, rather we wanted resources on the ground to deliver to our people. We believed that we had within ourselves as much knowledge as anyone who could give us training. It is a view I must take on board because that is what the people of rural Ireland are telling me.
