Vol. 565 No. 4
174 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the new functions which have been or will be devolved to the county and city development boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11257/03]
The county-city development boards or CDBs, representative of local government, local development bodies, State agencies and the social partners, were established in early 2000 on foot of a recommendation by the task force on the integration of local government and local development systems. The boards were given statutory recognition in the Local Government Act 2001.
A key function of the CDBs is to bring about the more co-ordinated and integrated delivery of local development and public services at local level. As part of this remit, the boards published their ten year strategies for the economic, social and cultural development of their areas during 2002 and are currently overseeing the implementation of these strategies by their member agencies. The role of the CDBs is recognised in a wide range of Government policies, including the recent joint initiative involving the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and myself to bring greater cohesion to local and community development programmes. As part of this initiative, and in line with the boards' co-ordinating role, it was decided that various local agencies and boards should submit their 2003 business plans to the CDBs for endorsement. County and city child care committees are also included within this arrangement.
The question of assigning further functions to the CDBs will be kept under review by the task force which continues in operation and which I chair.
