• Introduction

• Background

• Aims

• Vision

• Roles and Functions

• Key Principles

Introduction

Since 2000, County Development Boards (CDBs) have been set up in every County/City in recognition of the need to integrate and co-ordinate the various elements of development and of service delivery at local level.

Donegal CDB currently has 37 members comprising of representatives from local government, local development, the relevant State Agencies active at local level, and the social partners (including the Community and Voluntary Sector). Cllr. Francis Conaghan chairs the Donegal CDB and was selected by the local authority members of the CDB.

A Primary task of the CDBs in the first two years of existence was to prepare and over see the implementation of a new County Strategy for Economic, Social and Cultural Development. This strategy will provide a ‘ Shared Vision’ for development in the county for the next 10-year period. This strategy was launched in April 2002 and is currently being implemented by various lead agencies and monitored and evaluated by the County Development Board. The Donegal CDB will seek to advance and coordinate development of all types in the county in an integrated manner.

Background

Since 2000, each Local Authority area in Ireland has established a County or City Development Board (CDB). The CDB's have been put in place as a part of the process of the Renewal of Local Government and the Integration of Local Government and Local Development Systems. The primary aim of this process of reform is to achieve co-ordination of services at point of delivery to citizens of the State.

The Department of Environment and Local Government, the Department leading the reform of local government, describes the rationale for the establishment of the County Development Board structures as follows:

"In Ireland a large number of separate groups and specialist agencies deal with such matters as industrial development, local development, physical planning, education, health, social services, agriculture, environment, tourism, fisheries and other sectors. These all report more or less directly ‘vertically’ to their parent Departments. Ensuring "horizontally" integrated service delivery across these bodies at local level is therefore not easy. Neither is co-ordination with other interests – business, local development groups, and local communities. The Government has now decided to address the challenge of local service integration at the county and city level. To this end it is establishing a County/City Development Board in each county and city local authority" (A Shared Vision for County/City Development Boards. Department of Environment and Local Government. May, 2000)

Our Aim

The primary aim of the CDB is to achieve greater co-ordination in the area of development and the delivery of public services to citizens of the State. The Board has representation from all sectors in the county - Local Government, the State Sector, Local Development and Social Partners including the Community and Voluntary Sector.

Our Vision

The following Vision Statement was agreed by the members of the Donegal County Development Board. It will underpin and guide the operation of the Board by providing a reference point for the Board in all decisions regarding development within the County.

"For the community of Donegal, to work collectively for an inclusive and sustainable society, based on the following principles:

• a safe, healthy and just society;

• a successful economy and employment opportunities for all;

• where every member of society can reach their full potential;

• where our culture and languages play a central role;

• with optimum use of our natural resources;

• with responsibility towards present and future generations and the wider community, locally, regionally and nationally;

• with due regard to the environment."

Roles and Functions

Donegal CDB sees its potential role and the role of the Community, Culture and Enterprise Unit of Donegal County Council, which acts as an executive unit for the Board, as being in the following areas:

• Observation/Monitoring: identifying baselines, monitoring trends, planning contingencies;

• Diagnosis: of needs, opportunities, threats and spatial patterns;

• Coordination: providing a link point between all of the elements of the local community and its service providers;

• Facilitation: of joint planning between different bodies;

• Evaluation: of its effectiveness;

• Initiation: of key strategic actions;

• Implementation: of projects where appropriate;

• Brokering: alliances between different sectors;

• Informing: communicating with the community, sectoral groups, other local governments, central government and key agencies.

• Shared Vision
  The CDB partners will work towards achieving a "Shared Vision" for Social, Economic and Cultural development of County Donegal.

• Social Inclusion
  The needs of the socially excluded will be recognised.

• Participative Democracy
  Participation and inclusion in the democratic process ensuring the maximum number of groups are represented and the participation of all is facilitated.

• Democratic Legitimacy
  A recognition of the legitimacy of local government given its being the only institution outside of Dáil Éireann and the Presidency that is based on universal suffrage

• Sustainable Development
  Acceptance of sustainable development principles.

• Transparency
  Transparency and accountability with regard to the steps and participants in the process.

• Coordination
  Coordination of the collective efforts of all agencies, organisations and Communities in the County.

• Added Value
  Through coordination the CDB will add value to the development of the County to ensure efficient use of resources.

• Area Based Needs
  The CDB partners will be responsible to area based and sub county needs.

• Community Development
  To enable communities to develop themselves and their areas to the full potential.

• Partnership / Participation
  The CDB is to be based on a meaningful involvement for the local communities, state sector and social partners.

• Voluntary effort
  The new model of integration must recognise the contribution of unpaid voluntary effort and should seek to support it.

• Process
  The actual process of participation is important, as is the need for performance.

• Flexibility
  The new arrangements should ensure flexibility given the rate of change and be able to accommodate different approach / solutions and innovation.

• Local government
  The process of local government is to become both participative as well as representative.

• Linkage with various programmes
  Local agencies should be able to access resources to deliver services to an agreed level.