Local and Community Development Programme
Minister Meets Forum Reps M
inister Pat Carey met with reps from the National Community Development Forum (NCDF) on July 29th as this magazine went to press. The Forum had written five times to the Minister seeking a meeting and TDs and Senators had also pressed the Minister over the matter. The Minister wrote to the Forum in May explaining why he wouldn’t meet them at the time – his understanding was that they were campaigning to retain the status quo and by meeting them he could “engender false hope on your side that I could be persuaded to change the policy position outlined… since the new Programme was launched.” Forum chairperson Larry McCarthy said prior to the meeting that it was “imperative,
if we are to retain over 2000 volunteers who work tirelessly in their own community, that the NCDF as the national representative group for all CDPs (meets with the Minister and his officials).” On June 11th the Forum submitted its alternative proposal for CDPs nationally and it was examined by Department officials and by the Minister. On June 28th, the Minister indicated he was not entirely satisfied with the NCDF’s proposal. He later spoke in the Oireachtas spelling out his reasons for not endorsing it (while nevertheless indicated some local models may indeed be approved) and he formally wrote to the Forum informing them of his views. In recent months, the Forum has met with the Irish Local Development Network (representing local development companies) and the Community Workers Co-operative, among others.
CDPs do NOT need to close
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lodagh McDonnell, Principal Officer with the Department’s Community and Local Development Division, wrote to project chairpersons, following the campaign called ‘Community Development – Don’t Cut the Grassroots’. She said: “It is important to note that, despite what is stated by many CDPs and by others, full integration does not mean closure of a CDP or the cessation of CDP
activities in any given area.” “As has been stated many times by Ministers and the Department, any worthwhile community development activity or service delivered under the CDP can be delivered under the new LCDP and by the same staff who currently do this work, subject to Budgetary provision. For more on the ‘Don’t Cut The Grassroots’ campaign, see pages 20-21.
Good news for CDPs serving Cork, Limerick, Women and Travellers - they’re winning approval for alternative models
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s well as the Cork and Limerick models, Women’s CDPs and Traveller CDPs are also understood to be at advanced stages in working out with the Department how a different model could work for their CDPs and their communities’ particular needs. In most parts of the country, CDPs are being absorbed into Local Development Companies (aka Partnerships) and many if not most of them are likely to close down as companies. The Limerick model proposes “that instead of ‘integrating’ Partnerships and CDP’s in Limerick city, CDPs are amalgamated into one “City CDP” thus retaining local voluntary involvement with real responsibility and a continued say in decisions affecting their community.” Limerick CDPs are aiming to “ensure that the LCDP is delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible with the maximum participation and buy in from volunteers engaged over the years on CDP management committees.” The Department have been very clear that they want savings made in the areas of staff, HR, audit, administration and legal bills. Meanwhile, Minister Pat Carey told ‘Changing Ireland’ he believed that alternative models can be agreed which “will address the concerns and the needs” of the Traveller CDPs and Women’s CDPs. An alternative model proposed by Donegal CDP’s was not accepted by the Department and it was recommended to them to look at the Limerick model. The full details on the Limerick model, including the management structure as submitted to the Department, is now available for download from: www.changingireland. ie/LimerickCDPsAlternativeModel.doc
CDP national campaigners “gutted”
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CDPs do NOT need to hand over assets
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s highlighted in an earlier edition of ‘Changing Ireland’, there is no obligation on projects to hand over assets. There has been confusion about this. On June 1st Clodagh McDonnell, Principal Officer, wrote to CDP chairpersons who had contacted the Department with concerns over this issue and others. Clodagh wrote: “In a full integration situation, all assets and net liabilities would usually transfer by agreement. However, the Department has made it clear that other arrangements are possible if CDPs or LDCs want this e.g. the ownership of buildings need not transfer to the LDC. Pobal will be able to advise on this aspect.”
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spokesperson for the National Community Development Forum (NCDF) said they were “gutted” that their proposal was largely rejected by Minister Pat Carey. The Forum’s proposal was for a Service Level Agreement (SLA) which would have seen funding continued for CDPs nationwide. The Forum said this was the favoured route for almost every CDP around the country and some Partnerships and projects had written to them about it. Within hours of learning the proposal was not a runner nationally, NCDF member Cathleen O’Neill appeared on television on TV3 expressing her disappointment. Some phone calls to ‘Changing Ireland’ from CDPs in different parts of the country indicated that morale had declined after the Minister said “No” to the national proposal. Up to 2,600 people had joined in the ‘Don’t’ Cut The Grassroots’ campaign to save CDPs during May and June. (See pages 20-21).
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