By Kate Heaney
LETTERKENNY Community Development Project is concerned that government plans to merge them with Donegal Local Development Company could reduce its effectiveness on the ground.
That was the view of Margaret Toner, Manager of Letterkenny CDP this week following her return from a meeting of CDP representatives in Dublin on Thursday.
The merger of CDPs all over the country with local partnership companies is the result of a recommendation in the McCarthy Report.
Ms Toner and other CDP representatives met with officials from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in Dublin to formulate a way forward.
Ms Toner said she accepted that there would be change but she was concerned the work of the CDP would be diluted.
"There is a review going on. Most of the CDPs are viable.
"Those that are viable will be asked to merge and work with the partnership companies and draw up an action plan.
"I would be concerned that our voluntary management would lose its autonomy. They work on the ground and know what is needed in their community.
"I believe they should be retained. They are being offered an advisory role but it may lead to the loss of their wealth of experience on the ground," Ms Toner said.
A further concern was that people on the ground would no longer fell they have ownership of the organisation.
"We now need to look at how the integration with Donegal Local Development Company can have joint ownership rather than voluntary people being asked to step back.
"These volunteers have suffered and come up with their own solutions.
"Many would feel the partnerships are at the next level.
"Representatives at the meeting were annoyed that the great work done by CDPs was not acknowledged. Letterkenny CDP was set up in 1999 and the work that has been done by voluntary people is just phenomenal - there is no payment for it. I would be afraid that would be lost," she said.
Ms Toner recognised the good work done by the local partnership companies and said the CDP was willing to take on change and the challenges it may bring.
