Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 5

Written Answers - Community Development.

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

108 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the form the proposed review of social inclusion programmes and initiatives will take in regard to the commitment given in Sustaining Progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8307/03]

Joan Burton

Question:

116 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the steps proposed to align more closely the schemes across the rural and urban and local development programmes in regard to the commitment given in Sustaining Progress; the consultation process which is planned in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8309/03]

Phil Hogan

Question:

126 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the proposed time scale for the completion of review of local development structures; the groups which have been consulted regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8345/03]

Joan Burton

Question:

137 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the specific steps he is proposing to bring greater cohesion across local and community development in regard to his press statement on 18 February 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8310/03]

Olwyn Enright

Question:

139 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding initiatives he proposes to take during the current review of local and community development structures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8378/03]

Kathleen Lynch

Question:

141 Ms Lynch asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made to date with regard to the review of the programmes and activities that come within the remit of his Department, with a view to achieving optimal coherence across the various schemes; and when the process is expected to be completed. [8317/03]

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Éamon Ó Cuív)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 108, 116, 126, 137, 139 and 141 together.

Deputies will be aware that my Department was established against a background of concern at the multiplicity of structures and agencies through which local and community development schemes and programmes are delivered. As I have said before in this House, many local and community programmes were established under different Departments years ago, in some cases almost decades ago. Accordingly, there is an inherent danger of fragmentation of services and diffusion of resources. This can cause problems for communities in understanding and accessing funding and services on the ground.

I have been working closely with other Ministers, in particular the Ministers for Environment and Local Government and Justice, Equality and Law Reform and we have agreed to take a number of initial steps aimed at addressing these concerns. The key principles governing our approach are: strengthening the impact of current resources in terms of on the ground services, supports and benefits for local communities; streamlining structures to avoid overlaps, duplication and undue administrative overheads; bringing transparency, co-ordination and improved control to the funding and operation of local-community development measures; and strengthening the democratic accountability of agencies and service providers in this area.

Guided by these principles, we have taken a number of initial steps towards bringing greater cohesion across local and community development programmes. There are three basic elements to this phase of reform. In late February we initiated a comprehensive consultation process with the providers of schemes and programmes and the social partners on improving local delivery structures. All projects and support agencies under the community development support programme and Leader groups have been included in the consultation process, as have Area Development Management Ltd. and the area partnerships, community groups and RAPID area implementation teams. The national drugs task force has been asked to consult the local drugs task forces. The Department of Justice Equality and Law reform has sought the views of county and city child care committees and the Department of Environment and Local Government is consulting county managers and county and city development boards. Basically we are asking the various participants in this area how structures might be improved to secure better coherence within and between programmes and schemes. I hope to conclude the consultation process with a national seminar next July.

The second element of our initiative is an independent review of existing arrangements between Area Development Management Limited, Government Departments and other stakeholders. ADM dispenses more than €100 million in public funds. Given the original social partnership context and EU related functions of ADM and the current services provided by the company, I am sure Deputies will agree that such a review is both a timely and essential part of any attempt to review and improve structures for the delivery of these programmes.

The third element is a requirement that various local agencies and boards submit their business plans to city or county development boards for endorsement, in order to support greater coherence at local level. A local authority area based approach provides a manageable and comprehendible locus for measuring the expenditure and impact of programmes and schemes for communities.

I and my ministerial colleagues hope to be in a position to bring proposals for change arising from this process to Government in late 2003.

These initiatives are a sensible and practical approach to this important and complex task. The comprehensive consultation process, which is at the heart of the process, allows us to draw on the commitment and the expertise of those engaged at a community and local level. My overall objective is to secure the most positive impacts for communities from expenditure through programmes in this area.