Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

Through its focus on deprivation and social exclusion, the RAPID programme is continuing to address the impact of the economic downturn on vulnerable communities and to provide opportunities for social and economic recovery. In order to ensure the programme's continued relevance, a review of RAPID area boundaries, including an analysis of data from the 2006 census across a range of socioeconomic and deprivation indicators, was undertaken to ensure that areas are appropriately targeting the most disadvantaged communities. Following this, the Government approved the inclusion of five new towns in the RAPID programme in 2009: Ballina, Dungarvan, Enniscorthy, Mullingar and Rathkeale. The review also proposed changes to the boundaries of some of the other 46 RAPID areas and these have been implemented.

This year, €5 million was allocated for the RAPID leverage schemes through which my Department co-funds with other Departments and agencies a range of small-scale local projects such as playgrounds, traffic measures, health facilities, CCTV and sports facilities. In this regard, I assure the Deputy that my primary focus will continue to be to ensure that the front line services provided by, or supported through, my Department, and especially those focused on the needs of the most socially deprived communities, are protected.

The CLÁR programme has continued to invest in infrastructure and services in rural areas, with an estimated €7 million to be spent this year. This funding, in turn, leverages a significant co-funding from other agencies and Departments. Recent spending under CLÁR has mostly been in the areas of water infrastructure and health facilities in rural areas. In the context of the overall funding available to my Department next year, I will consider how best to continue to allocate funding in support of rural areas, taking account of the Government's Capital Expenditure Review and Infrastructure Investment Priorities 2010-2016.

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