Fresh from interrupting the Today with Pat Kenny outside broadcast in the Savoy Cinema in O’Connell Street in Dublin, the Community Development Alliance launched CAMA outside the GPO yesterday. (You can listen to the interruption here – (real player required and it’s about 41 minutes in.)  Conor Lenihan and George Lee were said to be a bit put off by it, oops.

The Community Assets Management Agency was launched by people involved in Community Development Projects throughout the country.  Many of those outside were dressed in costumes from 1916 as a proclamation was read. Those who have benefited from the services provided spoke alongside the activists who are leading the campaign.

You can also watch Noreen Byrne from the North Clondalkin CDP speak about the impact of the cuts there and Rita Fagan from St. Michaels CDP lead the group in song. (You may remember Rita from her appearance on Tonight with Vincent Brown where former banker Mike Soden made those remarks about Lone Parents.)

Kitty Holland’s report in the Irish Times includes a quote from Minister for State John Curran regarding the future of the CDP’s, one third of which are due to close and many others to be merged or otherwise severely cut.

Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, John Curran, confirmed today the CDP programme was under review. “I will shortly have a full report on the findings and recommendations,” he said.

It was his intention not to wind-up CDPs but to ensure “a more focused programme with clear objectives, simplified and streamlined delivery structures and better integrated actions, leading to significant administrative savings and impact efficiencies”. This would involve some closing, he said.

You wouldn’t think that the Minister was dealing with peoples lives, never mind livelihoods from the tone of his comments. A scene from Yes Minister?