Local Community Development Committees were established on a statutory basis in all 31 local authorities for the purpose of bringing a more co-ordinated and joined-up approach to community development at local level.  

Membership of the committee includes:

• Local Authority elected members and officials
• State and non-State local development agencies
• community and voluntary organisations, and
• other representatives of civil society, including business interests, farming interests, etc.

LCDCs  draw on the expertise and experience of public and private actors within the relevant local authority area to provide effective and efficient services to citizens, and particularly those more in need of those services.

Purpose of LCDCs

• LCDCs have primary responsibility for coordinating, planning and overseeing local and community development funding;
• Bring a more-joined up approach to the implementation of local and community development programmes and interventions, pursuing an integrated approach to local community based services across providers and delivery structures;
• Drive meaningful citizen and community engagement in the scoping, planning and evaluation of local and community development programmes;
• Pursue a more cost efficient administration of local and community development programmes and delivery structures, the matching of resources to priorities and better value-for money in the management and delivery of programmes;
• Focus on learning and feedback, enhancing the links between services delivery and policy development;
• Pursue opportunities for additional funding for the area, whether exchequer, EU, private or other sources.

Visit https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/f4022e-local-community-development-committees-lcdcs/for additional background and further information.