Letters, Texts and Emails, November 25 2009
Topic: Disbandment of Community Development Projects
Panelists: Margaret O'Shea (Kerry Network of People with Disabilities), Bronagh O'Neill (Canals Equality Campaign), Rita Fagan (St. Michael's Family Resource Centre), Cathleen O'Neill (Kilbarrack CDP)
Below is a letter received by Politico followed by texts and emails received by Vincent during the programme.
Minister of State John Curran is planning the alignment of the Community Development Programme (CDP) with the local Partnership companies. Following a (behind closed doors) review of the 180 odd projects in the CDP, it is anticipated that a majority will cease to exist, with the remainder to be swallowed up by their local Partnership company. The junior minister further intends to instruct those remaining CDPs to dissolve their voluntary boards of management to become advisory boards under the Partnership - for one year only. The assets of the – then defunct - community groups are also expected to be transferred to the Partnership. These community assets in many cases are sports halls, community buildings, drop-in centres, etc. developed over years and decades by many volunteers through sponsored walks, table quizzes, race nights, and so on. At the stroke of a pen, it appears, the junior minister is proposing to commandeer these community properties and transfer their ownership to the quasi state organisations that partnerships are. If that is what is being planned, then let's call it what it is : attempted theft.
We have heard of unscrupulous employers in the private sector, using the financial crisis to attack workers' rights & conditions, but here we have an agent of the state – the junior minister – under the guise of financial cutbacks attacking the very independent existence of a vibrant community sector - this in the face of stated commitments to the autonomy of the sector in government white papers and the active citizenship process.
While the Department of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs (commonly known as Craggy Island) has the very considerable power to withdraw funding from projects, it is clearly losing the plot in considering instructing autonomous projects to go out of existence. Remember many of the projects are in existence for longer than the funding coming through the CDP Programme and many have a wider funding base too.
Of the 180 CDPs about 20 are local Traveller projects. The proposed development is particularly ominous for them, as many Partnerships have proved to be utterly useless in supporting Traveller issues, when these come up against vested interests on the Partnership board. Along with the sweeping cuts to the Equality Authority some time ago, which forced the resignation of its CEO and members of the board, as the organisation had been effectively rendered untenable since, this is a further proof of a targeted attack on participative democracy and dissenting voices representing marginalised communities.
In the case of this Craggy Island it appears that the power-crazy lunatics within it are about to take over the asylum!
Further information on the “Hands Off the Community Development Programme” Facebook page.
Thomas Erbsloh
Colm McCarthy could not have investigated the situation properly.
Donal, Athlone
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I have spent 19 years giving my voluntary time into developing my community. I am angry beyond belief that the government are using the recession to dismantle the community structure we have built up all this time. It is now more than ever that communities need good leadership to help us through this recession.
Joan, Ballymun Community Action Programme
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Is not the millions spent on forcing people through countless programmes a waste and a luxury?
Peter, Wicklow
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As a member of a CDP in the largest local authority in Bray, we are going to lose the only support and voice available to a community forgotten and neglected by our government agencies.
Niamh, Bray
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Why didn't you have at least one dissenter on the panel? Four people on the same side is bad. Some CDPs are no good at all.
Margaret
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If Rita Fagan was let loose on the Dáil for one month she'd have this country turned around in no time.
Ann, Limerick
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Get rid of all these non-productive agencies. Community development only helps a few in the community and is being way over funded as it is.
Norma, Mallow
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Cutting wages, taking on the CDPs...can't wait until Fianna Fáil introduce their old lady mugging policy to further help out the banks!
Alan, Offaly
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CDP leaders have had a lot of power in the community. They haven't had the grace to move over and allow other voices to be heard. Self interest is being hidden behind concern for the communities.
Ann
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Yet again government 'cost saving' measures to 'help' the country! How many more short sighted decisions can we allow? They put us in this crisis through these type of decisions and continue to be at the centre of this country's fall!
Louise, Dundrum
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Why is the state funding these CDPs? They have no mandate and represent nobody but themselves. They need to stop feeding off the taxpayer.
Brian, Walkinstown
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Community projects are only hideouts for the unemployable.
John
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This is ideological claptrap.
Leonie
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This country is broken and the sad thing is that there is no one in any party who can fix it.
Liz, Louth
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The partnerships were a knee jerk reaction put in place in the mid 90s to solve unemployment. It only duplicated what Fás is supposed to do and with managers getting €90,000 a year it is they that should be scrapped.
Brian, Dundalk
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If they could just see reality they'd know they're lucky to be alive enough to be taken over by the partnerships. It allows the work to continue.
Clare
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The panel represents a very vulnerable part of Irish society that in my opinion must be given our wholehearted backing to beat down the bully boy tactics of the government.
Brendan, Ballinasloe
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I was a carer for 10 years due to necessity as there were no appropriate facilities available to look after my disabled child 13 years ago when he was born. As a result, I was completely cut off from society, it was a difficult and lonely time for our family. The local CDP gave me a very welcoming and supportive pathway back into the local community when that duty ended and I am now studying for a degree in advocacy as a direct result. It is shameful that this excellent resource is being abolished.
Ann
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The panel are kidding themselves. Who funds the childcare centres and the other millions that the CDPs claim to bring in? The government does as a commitment to the disadvantaged groups. Despite all the millions invested in disadvantaged areas over the past 15 years there has been no marked change in the status of the areas. Keep certain CDPs and partnerships but make them accountable and performance driven.
Richard
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It's so true. CDPs never turn anyone away. They are first to respond to changing needs in a community.
Colette
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The Equality Authority is more or less gone, the government killed off the national anti-racism agency and noe they're dumping on the poorest communities in the country. What an irony when next year is the EU year for combating poverty and social exclusion.
Allen
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CDPs are all very well in a boom when we can afford idealism.
Norma, Mallow
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It seems to me these groups are doing the work locally and doing good work. The €10m is being spent to create a new bureaucracy and not to help people that need it.
Joe, Sligo
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