Local and Community Development Programme Staffing

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 October 2013

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Ceisteanna (3)

Joan Collins

Ceist:

3. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether, given that local development companies are almost exclusively funded by State money, his Department is acting as shadow employer in view of the changes alignment will bring about for workers; his views on whether there must be meaningful engagement between workers' representatives and his Department or via the employers body, the Irish Local Development Network, ILDN; and the way he proposes this engagement could be carried out. [45167/13]

Freagraí ó Béal (7 píosaí cainte)

Deputy Phil Hogan

There are 50 local development companies contracted on my Department’s behalf to deliver the local and community development programme, LCDP, 35 of which also deliver the Leader elements of the Rural Development Programme, RDP, 2007-2013. These companies also deliver a range of other programmes and interventions on behalf of other Departments and funders. The local development companies are independent companies with their own boards of management. My Department has no role in relation to staffing or employment matters. These are matters for the board of each company, as the employer, to manage.

My Department recently met SIPTU and staff representatives from the local development companies, at their request, to discuss a number of issues concerning the implications of the alignment process. The Department reiterated that it remains the responsibility of the companies as the employers to engage with their staff and to keep them apprised of progress.

The alignment working group, which is actively progressing the alignment recommendations to enhance alignment between local government and local development, comprises representatives of the County and City Managers Association, the Irish Local Development Network and Pobal, and is chaired and supported in its work by my Department. The Irish Local Development Network has three representatives on the working group. It is a matter for that body to select nominees to fill these positions. It is also the responsibility of the representatives from each sector to consult their nominating bodies, staff and other relevant stakeholders as part of this process. I encourage such dialogue by all parties.

Deputy Joan Collins

I thank the Minister for his reply. I have raised in this House the issue of access by workers to proper representation in terms of the affects of alignment on their jobs. There has been no consultation with workers. While a meeting was held between workers and departmental officials, as stated, no further progress has been made. When I last raised this issue with the Minister during the Topical Issue debate he said a report would be published in the following two to three weeks.

Given the local development companies are funded by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, it is their shadow employer. Will the Minister intervene and ensure workers are represented in any discussions on how alignment will affect their jobs?

Deputy Phil Hogan

There must be very little communication from the negotiators on behalf of the community sector to the people concerned.

Deputy Joan Collins

There must be.

Deputy Phil Hogan

Departments are not shadow employers. A number of State-funded programmes are delivered at local level by the network of local development companies, which are independently limited companies that have their own boards of management, memoranda and articles of association. These companies have tendered to deliver certain programmes for a specific period. Similar to other funding Departments, my Department has no role in the internal operations of these companies and, therefore, does not have a role in relation to staff or employment which are for the board of each company, as employer, to manage.

Departments provide funding to particular groups and local development companies to carry out work on behalf of the State. They are separate private companies and are treated as such. It is a matter for each of the companies to decide its role, responsibilities and staffing and to ensure interaction between them and their representative groups is good.

Deputy Joan Collins

The point is that it is not. There is a serious problem in this regard. The Minister, Deputy Hogan, initiated the alignment of the local development companies and has instructed them to move in a different direction. It is incumbent upon him as Minister, in seeking to change how these local development companies operate, to insist that worker representatives are recognised and heard and that information in regard to how the alignment will affect them is passed on. When will the report mentioned by the Minister be published?

Deputy Phil Hogan

I share Deputy Collins's desire to ensure we have local development companies delivering local programmes. The alignment process which I have initiated with local government is to ensure some funding will be available. Given the national budgetary situation, there is no guarantee of any funding in future. I expect, especially in the Dublin area where there will be a high retention rate of local property tax, that local councillors will be able to make decisions on social inclusion measures and the local development programmes to be delivered in each particular area. I encourage the local development companies to consider the situation in the context of the relationship they will have in future with local government, which is likely to be far healthier than the one they currently have with national government.

The information being sought by the community sector in Deputy Collins's area is available via the negotiators as part of the alignment working group. I would like to see work in this area completed immediately. I understand a meeting was held yesterday. I await a report of that meeting to see whether we can come to a conclusion on the alignment structures and committees to be established in local government to ensure programmes are delivered and the people about whom the Deputy and I are concerned continue to get front-line service delivery.