The voice of the poor is being smothered by the Government as it plans to close down 180 Community Development Projects (CDPs), says the representative body for the projects, the National Community Development Forum (NCDF).
The CDPs’ national body today rejected plans to “integrate” the Community Development Programme with another larger programme, the Local Development and Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP).
“This scheme will disempower the most marginalised of local communities across Ireland,” said NCDF chairperson Larry McCarthy, himself a volunteer with Le Cheile CDP in Dundalk. “It’s an attack on the poor.”
“This move by Minister Curran will terminate the involvement of 2000 volunteers in deciding a little of what happens in their own communities and that undermines everything that Community Development stands for,” added Mr. McCarthy.
The Minister’s announcement comes hot on the heels of a 15% cut to projects this year and a recommendation in the McCarthy report that €44m be cut from the €72m going to the two programmes. The Community Development Programme costs less than €20m annually and is worth at least three times that figure to local communities when the volunteer input is included and the impact of the work is taken into account.
“Minister Curran hasn’t consulted anyone about this, it’s the top-down-approach. If this and other proposals in the McCarthy report are adopted, I’d have serious concerns about the sustainability of many communities in this country from here on in.
“We would welcome talks with the Minister where he could clarify some of the issues around the lack of consultation with, not alone the CDPs, but the service users," said Mr. McCarthy.
“Community Development is taught at third level, yet we as a country are looking at pulling the plug on the greatest investment by the State in supporting Community Development on the ground. That makes a mockery of the educational element,” added the NCDF statement.
“Our mission is to keep Community Development in Ireland alive and flourishing and the secret of CDPs success is that we’re locally managed and independent. Take that away and you’re dismantling the local social inclusion infrastructure.
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BACKGROUND INFO:
CDPs’ inclusive approach and their strength in being on the ground and run by local people mean they can respond quickly and effectively to a wide range of challenges, from drug abuse to early-school-leaving to catering for the needs of lone parents, older people and many more.
The Community Development Programme was set up in 1990, during the last jobs crisis when unemployment was up to 80% in certain areas.
The Programme has grown to include 180 communities. The Community Development Programme was set up in 1990, during the last jobs crisis when unemployment was up to 80% in certain areas. The Programme has grown to include 180 communities.
The 'merge' decision is extreme political opportunism. There is NO financial saving achieved by removing Voluntary managements. This is not only an attack on the poor, but is a deliberate, calculated, strategic decision to disempower a section of our society that questions the inequalities that exist in Government policy.
Be careful what you vote for!
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