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Community Development Initiatives

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 June 2014

Thursday, 26 June 2014

Questions (138)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

138. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn 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, for which local community development companies are currently preparing to tender, has no mechanism to protect the work done over the years with the Traveller community and women; if he agrees that this work is essential to promote justice, equality and community cohesion; and if he will meet with his staff dealing with this programme and ask that they ring-fence the combined budget for the National Traveller Partnership and the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks and continue to work directly with these two structures to administer the budget through Pobal. [27653/14]

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Written answers

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, including the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme.  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 on a transitional basis for 2014 with a budget of €47m pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in January 2015. The SICAP's aim is to reduce poverty, promote social inclusion and equality through local, regional and national engagement and collaboration. SICAP is one of my key priorities and its budget for next year will be decided in the 2015 Estimates process.

I am confident that supports for the most disadvantaged in our society, such as Travellers and disadvantaged women, will continue under SICAP.

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