Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 March 2014
261. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reconsider the decision to transfer management of local development programmes such as Leader or the local community development programme, LCDP, to the proposed local community development committees which will be established in each local authority area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10327/14]
View answer271. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will examine correspondence (details supplied); if he will consider re-examining the proposal to remove contracts locally; if he will consider change and reform as suggested by building and reforming local action groups, LAGs, by incorporating them into organisations such as the one mentioned rather than terminating the work they do and transferring it to local authorities; if he will engage with local groups on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10504/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 271 together.
The process of enhancing the alignment between Local Government and Local Development is about maximising use of scarce resources, while drawing on the capacities that exist both in local government and in the local development sector. Local Community Development Committees will be established in each local authority area over the coming months in line with the provisions in the recently enacted Local Government Reform Act 2014. These Committees will bring together both statutory and not-statutory partners, including the community sector, to bring greater co-ordination to area-based activity in their respective areas. The Committees will have responsibility for community and local development programmes funded by my Department and I am confident they will bring a strong, strategic focus to their implementation. This implementation will involve local development actors and, therefore, the skills and experience that has been built up will continue to be available and utilised locally.
In the case of the Local Community Development Programme and in accordance with public procurement rules, the Local Community and Development Committees will procure the programme locally. While I cannot pre-empt the outcome of such a procurement process, I expect, given their experience in the area, that the Local Development Companies will apply to deliver the programme in their areas. Changes involved in the current reform processes are challenging; however, I believe that change is necessary to ensure the optimum use of scarce resources, especially for valuable local development funding. The process has already involved a high level of engagement with the representatives of partnership companies and this will continue as the reforms are embedded locally.
