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Local and Community Development Programme Planning

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2014

Tuesday, 17 June 2014

Questions (431, 461, 463, 464, 466)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

431. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the social inclusion community activation programme will replace the community development programme; if he is further aware that tendering for SICAP will not be permitted by national organisations and that Pobal has suggested that women's networks form a consortium to tender for SICAP; if it is possible for the old system to be reinstated as the National Collective of Community Based Women's Network is economically viable as it is reliant on volunteer hours and extremely beneficial to the most disadvantaged women in communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25264/14]

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Ciara Conway

Question:

461. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it is the case that the NTP can apply for SICAP (details supplied), if he will commit to ringfencing money to ensure Traveller projects are funded, and that this will be accessible to local Traveller organisations, thus ensuring that Travellers are not further marginalised or discriminated against; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25754/14]

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Ciara Conway

Question:

463. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason it is the case that the National Traveller Partnership cannot apply for funding under the new social inclusion and community activation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25920/14]

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Tom Fleming

Question:

464. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will maintain the economically viable National Collective of Community Based Women's Network's structures which have the capacity to feed into the current process of alignment as part of the local government reform process (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25921/14]

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Denis Naughten

Question:

466. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason he has decided not to continue the existing LCDP funding of the National Collective of Community Based Women's Network; where the €1.3 million previously provided to National Collective of Community Based Women's Network will now be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25938/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 431, 461, 463, 464 and 466 together.

The proposals outlined in Putting People First - Action Programme for Effective Local Government seek to position local government “as the primary vehicle of governance and public service at local level – leading economic, social and community development, delivering efficient and good value services, and representing citizens and local communities effectively and accountably”.

As part of the programme of reform of local government, Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) are being established in all local authority areas. These Committees, comprising public-private socio-economic interests, will have responsibility for local and community development programmes on an area basis. They will develop, co-ordinate and implement a more coherent and integrated approach to local and community development than heretofore, with the aim of reducing duplication and overlap and optimising the use of available resources for the benefit of citizens and communities.

My Department’s Local and Community Development Programme is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The current Programme officially ended at the end of 2013 having operated for four years with funding of €281m over that period. It is being implemented by the Local Development Companies (LDCs) on a transitional basis for 2014 with a budget of €47m pending the roll out of a new Social Inclusion Activation Programme in January 2015.

The new Programme, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is one of my key priorities and its budget for next year will be decided in the 2015 Estimates process. As a key intervention for the harder to reach, the Programme’s target groups are:

- Children and Families from Disadvantaged Areas

- Lone Parents

- New Communities (including Refugees/Asylum Seekers)

- People living in Disadvantaged Communities

- People with Disabilities

- Roma

- The Unemployed (including those not on the Live Register)

- Travellers

- Young Unemployed People from Disadvantaged areas

In accordance with the Public Spending Code, best practice internationally, legal advice and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients; the Programme is subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway.

The public procurement process is a competitive process that is open to Local Development Companies, other not-for-profit community groups, commercial firms and national organisations, such as the National Collective of Community Based Women's Network (NCCWN) and the National Traveller Partnership (NTP), that can provide the services to be tendered for to deliver the new Programme. Joint applications are encouraged and organisations of varying sizes (for example smaller organisations working in consortia with larger organisations) are invited to submit joint applications. Applicants at stage one of the tendering process must demonstrate that they meet the criteria for the delivery of services in the Lot(s) applied for. Partner Candidates have a role in the delivery and implementation of the programme. All such Partner Candidates must be identified in the Qualification Questionnaire and a contracting arrangement may be required between the Lead Candidate and any Partner Candidates. Candidates may rely on the resources of other entities in order to establish the suitability requirements on condition that they can prove to the satisfaction of Pobal that they will have these resources at their disposal when necessary.

All proposals received will be assessed 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. Pobal is assisting my Department and the LCDCs in the preparation of the tender documentation and the assessment criteria.

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