My Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State and is being implemented on a transitional basis until the end of March 2015, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) on 1 April 2015.
In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP is subject to a public procurement process, which is in its final stages. Tenderers have now been informed of the outcome of their tender and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) are in the process of finalising contracts with the successful tenderers. I am satisfied that the procurement process was in line with good practice, conforming to EU norms.
It is understood that a small number of Local Development Companies (LDCs) that have delivered the LCDP did not secure SICAP contracts. Pobal, on behalf of my Department is engaging with LCDCs on mechanisms to support stakeholders to address some of the issues and concerns in terms of business continuity, orderly closure of the LCDP, redundancy costs and due diligence etc.
The primary focus of my Department is to ensure that the front-line services being supported, particularly those focused on the needs of the most socially deprived communities, are protected, given the need to ensure best value for the scarce resources available.
I am confident that SICAP will continue to provide key supports to those most in need in our communities, in all Local Authority areas throughout the country, including in the Ballymun-Whitehall area.
