Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 February 2014
459. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of 6 February 2014, if there is capacity to generate a profit for the commercial companies he says can tender for delivery of the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9114/14]
View answerThe Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. It superseded the Local Development Social Inclusion and the Community Development Programmes in 2010.
It is a key tool of Government in providing employment supports, training, personal development/capacity building and other supports for the harder to reach in the most disadvantaged areas in society.
The LCDP successor Programme is at design stage and will be based on, inter alia, the main findings of the LCDP Mid Term Review, which was published in October 2013. The Programme will ensure that it remains a locally accessible, frontline intervention for people most difficult to reach in terms of social exclusion and distance from the labour market. It will be overseen and managed by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) of the Local Authorities who will request tenders for its delivery in their areas.
When the tender documentation issues, it will be a matter for any interested company or group to consider whether they wish to submit a proposal to provide the service being sought having regard to the terms and conditions of the tender. All proposals received will be assessed by the LCDCs in accordance with the assessment criteria notified with the tender documentation and the contract or contracts will be awarded on the basis of that assessment.
