Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2012
8Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the impact the Budget 2012 €8m reduction in provision for the local and community development programme will have on the organisations involved with the programme; if any services will cease as a result of thise cut; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5768/12]
View answer176Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the way in which the €8 million in cuts to the local and community development programme have been made; and the impact these cuts will have on service delivery. [6035/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 176 together.
The 2012 allocation for the local and community development programme, LCDP, as provided for in the budget, is €55.157 million, which represents a reduction of some €8 million on the funding available in 2011. I am confident, however, that the budget allocation will allow for the continuation of important supports for people in disadvantaged communities and will allow for the key, essential, front-line services delivered through the programme to be maintained for 2012. I am also confident that the adjustment to the programme has been structured to protect front-line services and supports at the expense of administration, overheads and ancillary costs.
In determining the 2012 budgets for the individual local development companies, every effort is being made to protect the viability of smaller companies. This is reflected in the lower than average budget reduction of 10% that is being applied to these groups. Although the reductions will unavoidably present challenges to all delivery bodies, I nevertheless expect that groups will continue to maintain key services and supports through prioritising resources at the front-line.
The allocations to local development companies under the LCDP are made by Pobal, which manages the programme on behalf of my Department. Allocations are based on a number of factors, including the size and population of the catchment areas of the companies, the proposed annual programme of activity of each company, the deprivation index for the catchment areas and the available funding for the year.
The annual planning process is currently underway in the local development companies. I have not so far been made aware of any services that will cease as a result of the cuts.
I have one brief point. The programme is essential. In his reply, the Minister stated he would deliver key services and we agree with that. It is important for these groups to have some certainty around funding in order to maintain services. One finds with many of these groups that they have multiple sources of funding. Some of them have suffered a range of cuts. When one adds all the cuts together they might come to 30% or 40%. I ask the Minister to bear that in mind.
Deputy Stanley has put his finger on it in regard to the duplication of resources that can come from various locations, bodies and Departments for particular communities. We are examining that intensively in the context of our budgets. We are also examining the alignment of the community sector with local government. This is all being taken into account to see where there is administrative duplication while at the same time protecting front line services to the citizen. Deputy Keating recently highlighted an example in which several Departments may be feeding into the delivery of a local community service. It is about establishing the best vehicle for delivery of that service while at the same time maintaining front line services.
