Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I have to check that because I do not want to give an answer off the top of my head. I met the co-ordinating group for the RAPID programme a fortnight ago. Most of the programmes are small in scale because the same leveraging of funding is not available. I checked over the past week to ascertain what is outstanding and there is a reasonable amount.

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. It is making a difference. I visited the RAPID project in Kilkenny last week and what it has done for the community is extraordinary. Sports facilities have been upgraded, a riverside walk and a playground built and a family resource centre has been established. RAPID turns the key to unlock a great deal of other stuff and there are good examples in Cork as well.

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