Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 July 2014
488. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in respect of the tendering of the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, if he is aware of European Directive 2014/24/EU and Article 76 which states (details supplied); and his views that the SICAP tender complies with this directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31183/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra513. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to the decision to require local development companies to engage in a competitive tendering process for delivering projects and services to local communities, if the justification for this arises from Directive 2004/18/EC; if will he respond to claims that this directive has been replaced by Directive 2014/24/EU which is the current law on public procurement; if he will clarify that two of the preambles to 2014/24/EU, namely 7 and 14, state that public authorities in member states are free to organise social services as they wish without a tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31497/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 513 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, including the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP). 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 SICAP.
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 under way. The closing date for receipts of expressions of interest under Stage 1 of the process was noon, last Friday, 11 July 2014.
My Department is obliged to adhere to the rules under Directive 2004/18/EC. Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement comes into effect on 18th April 2016. I am satisfied that the process under way takes account of all recent developments in the law of procurement.
