Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. It provides the opportunity to outline the background to the current situation and the action taken by the HSE.

The RAPID programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within 46 designated RAPID areas nationally. The preparation and assessment of RAPID projects commenced in summer 2008, following applications for funding to enhance and establish services for older people in relevant geographic areas. These applications were assessed and finalised in late 2008.

RAPID is a joint initiative, funded on a 50-50 basis between the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Health Service Executive. The HSE indicates that the total cost of the scheme is €4.6 million. Although the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, with the HSE and Pobal, was involved in the assessment of projects sent forward for consideration, the HSE, as the lead agency, is responsible for the contractual arrangements involved in each project. The individual projects claim funding from the HSE, and the 50% funding from the Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is subsequently claimed and reimbursed to the HSE.

This round of the RAPID programme was launched by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív, last October, with further details announced on 23 December. It was approved also by the HSE. On receipt of approval, the HSE put in place an extensive monitoring process in conjunction with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, to enable the executive to report accurately to the national monitoring committee.

The Government recently announced its intention to examine all current and capital expenditure as part of its decision to introduce further measures to stabilise the public finances. Projects were informed of this decision by HSE representatives on 13 February, 2009. The RAPID programme was therefore submitted for re-approval, through the HSE, to the Department of Finance. All decisions on funding for the national development plan will be taken in the course of these deliberations and will be announced in coming weeks.

A number of projects at HSE level have expended moneys and these must be considered in the overall context of the current review. They include two of the three projects which were announced for Tipperary town, namely, a lift installation in the community and youth centre, Bank Place, Tipperary, which is to receive €40,000, and a community safety van for Muintir na Tíre and community services, which is to receive €20,000. The third project in Tipperary town is also for the installation of a lift for the elderly in the new four-storey community hostel, Saol Nua, at a cost of €40,000.

The Department of Health and Children is closely monitoring the position with regard to RAPID projects relevant to the health service and will continue to liaise closely with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and the HSE on individual cases and on the programme overall.

As the Deputy knows, the Department of Finance has put a stop to several projects at this time. We all hope that various programmes in Departments will see the light of day again very shortly but I cannot give the Deputy any guarantees. We shall see how events will move forward during the next few weeks.

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