The Department also facilitates the work of the Community Forum to which 420 community and voluntary organisations in the County have affiliated to date.

The Forum provides a stage for nominating community representatives to the County Development Board (CDB) and other groupings where community representation is required. These representatives report back regularly to the Forum on the activities of the CDB.

The Working Group of the County Community Forum consists of 20 members.

Member Organisations of the Forum are represented on the Working Group as follows:

Cluster 1 – economic, social development and anti-disadvantage measures (10 Seats)

• Platform Members 5
• Non-Platform members 5

Cluster 2 - cultural, sporting, environment, youth/other and residents' interests (10 Seats)

• Residents Associations 2
• Environment Groups 2
• Culture Groups 2
• Sporting Groups 2
• Youth / Other 2

A member from each cluster represents that cluster on the County Development Board. The Board member is chosen by the Cluster from the members of the Working Group.

If you think that your organisation/group would be interested in becoming members of the Forum, click on Membership Application Form below. Information on the Forum's framework can also be accessed by clicking on Framework Document.

Membership Application Form

Framework Document

Elections to the Working Group were held in April 2004 and the following is a list of the current members:

Name	Nominating Body		Cluster
Anne- Marie Duffy		Ballally Family Resource Centre	Cluster 1 Platform
Sandra Campbell		Hillview Community Resource Centre	Cluster 1 Platform
Marian White		Mountwood/ Fitzgerald Park Community	Cluster 1 Platform
Biddy Farrell		Southside Women's Action Network	Cluster 1 Platform
Gray Cahill (Chairperson)		Rosemount Resource Centre	Cluster 1 Platform

John Nolan	P.W.D.I.	Cluster 1 Non Platform
Mary Collins	Eye Contact	Cluster 1 Non Platform
Carol Connors	Southside Travellers Action Group	Cluster 1 Non Platform
William Ievers	Schizophrenia Ireland	Cluster 1 Non Platform
Andrea Wilson	Carer's Association	Cluster 1 Non Platform

Abrahim Wihid	Dun Laoghaire town Football Club	Cluster 2 – Sport
1 Vacant Position		Cluster 2 – Sport

2 Vacant Positions

Cluster 2– Environment

David O'Neill	Maritime Institute	Cluster 2 – Culture
1 Vacant Position

Patrick Long	Dun Laoghaire Marine Probus Club	Cluster 2 – Youth/Other
Damien O'Sullivan (Vice-Chairperson)	Scouting Ireland	Cluster 2- Youth/Other

Tom Richmond	Marley Grange Residents Association	Cluster 2- Residents Associations
John Naughton	Ballogan Estate Management

Vacancies (one each) still exist in the Residents Associations, Environment, Culture and Sports sub-cluster and elections to fill these positions will take place at the next Annual General Meeting which will be held in 2005 details of which will be advertised locally and on this site.

Projects. The Community Forum is the designated Lead Agency for a number of Actions in the County Development Board's Strategy Action Implementation Plan 2003-2005.

Action 5.2.1: Survey existing community facilities in the rural part of the County and establish requirements.

This research is now completed and a database compiled on community facilities available in the rural part of the County. The project has also identified community needs in terms of resources, meeting facilities, transport/access to name but a few areas.

Action 5.5.1: Establish a database of rural community organisations .

This project is also concluded and a total of 100 organisations were found to be operating in the rural part of the County. A report from the appointed consultants will be presented to the Working Group at their meeting on the 24 th July.

Action 5.5.2: Host a conference of rural community organisations to explore ways of co-operating and providing support .

This conference is scheduled to take place during 2004.

Action 6.1.5: Promote good practice in communicating safety, security and policing measures in order to generate more awareness raising programmes.

The Forum is progressing this action in consultation with an Garda Siochana.

Additional Actions are being supported by the Community Forum and full details of these can be viewed on the Strategy Action Implementation Plan 2003-2005.