This article is from page 18 of the 2010-01-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
FEARS have been raised that Clare’s three Community Development Projects will be swapped if the Gov- ernment goes ahead with plans to subsume community development into local development.
There are three Community Devel- opment Projects (CDPs) in County Clare funded by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Af- fairs under the Community Develop- ment Programme/ National Develop- ment Plan.
“These project in any democracy provide a health tension between state and community on the margins who strive for justice and equality,” said Ennis CDP chairman, Dermot Hayes.
There three Clare projects are: the Clare Womens Network, which works to address women’s issues in Clare; the East Clare Community Support Ltd, which supports the communi- ties of rural east Clare, specifically people with disabilities, carers, older people, new and LGBT community; the third is the Ennis Community Development Project (CDP) which works with the Travelling commu- nity and immigrants in Ennis and environs and works to build capacity so that people can engage in com- munity life, raise awareness in local policy-making arenas of issues such as equality, integration, different cul- tures, and social inclusion and sup- ports the effective delivery of serv-
ices through interagency work.
Mr Hayes said that if the plan goes ahead, “We believe that there is eve- ry possibility that this will mean the loss of valuable skills and experience built up over the last twenty years of the programme.
The implications of closures are stark. Disadvantaged communities will be further undermined and there will be consequences for employ- ment, training, education, and anti- social behaviour.”
Ennis CDP is appealing to all local councillors and TDs to “please take a look and examine the impact in most marginal and disenfranchised com- munities.”
CDPs are run by a voluntary man-
agement committee which includes representatives from the community affected by discrimination and pov- erty. The projects are also supported by volunteers who help to ensure the work of the programme is carried out CSA m AO
“This voluntary contribution needs to be acknowledged as a significant resource which complements the goal of the Community Development Programme,’ Mr Hayes said.
Protests and demonstrations will be organised countrywide should the plan go ahead, he added.