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23 / 09 / 09

Minister Curran annouces the integration of the LDSIP and the CDP

The Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, John Curran TD, announced on Friday 18th that the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme and the Community Development Programme would be integrated in order to 'provide seamless social inclusion services to the most needy in Irish society'.

Whilst there has been speculation in relation to the integration of the LDSIP and CDP in the recent past, this is the first firm indication that this will happen before the 2010 programmes are announced.

CWC sought clarifications from the DCRGA in relation to this announcement outlined below. It is important to remember that there are a number of processes either underway or drawing to a conclusion at this time:

  1. The review of the CDP programme undertaken by the DCRGA - this is the review that the Minister refers to in his statement ("We are currently undertaking a thorough review of the Community Development Programme and will shortly have a full report on the findings and recommendations that arise from that review."). The report of this review is almost complete.
  2. The process being led by the Centre for Effective Services that will redesign the two programmes under its 'rapid review' - the LDSIP and the CDP.
  3. The budgetary cuts that have been imposed and the likelihood of further budget cuts if any or all of the recommendations of the McCarthy Report (Bord Snip) are implemented.

The department stated that while not all the plans are in place yet, it is now certain that the CDP and the LDSIP will be integrated. This will be announced in the last quarter of 2009 for implementation in 2010. It is likely that the new programme will have one overall strategic priority and a number of objectives, with community development being the underpinning approach to the work. Funding for the CDP work will be ringfenced for 2010 but after that it is likely that flexibility between budget strands will be allowed.

The Management Committers/Boards of Directors of the CDPs will be disbanded. Crucially, there will be no automatic places on the boards of the Integrated Partnership Companies for CDPs. They will be subsumed under the community representative system whereby elections are organised through the Community and Voluntary Forums. The DCRGA envisages that Community Development/Advisory Committees Advisory Committees will be established to advise the Boards.

The DCRGA acknowledge that significant induction will be needed by many of the Integrated Partnership Companies and envisage this as a role for the Centre for Effective Services.

There will be fewer projects funded under the Community Development Programme - this will be as a result of the review mentioned in 1. above. When asked about the criteria that will/has been used to assess which CDPs will lost funding, the DCRGA were unable/unwilling to give an answer, thought the perceived weakness in the governance structures of the CDP is a significant issue. The DCRGA also expect considerably less funding to be available in 2010 than the 2009 budgets.

For more see CWC Community Work Updates September 2009

 

The CWC has argued many of the points made above. However, a more considered response is necessar. To that end a CWC National Membership meeting was held on September 30th.  We would like to thank all those that attended. A report of the meeting will be sent to members. The meeting of the CWC Community Sector Subgroup to be held on October 16th at 2pm will further consider the issues raised.