Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, in the RAPID programme. The money is ring-fenced and rightly so. The Deputy is quite correct. I am glad to hear the Deputy say what he has said. There are very serious problems in inner city Dublin, which is where we launched the new programme in November. The Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and I launched it in Charleville Mall library in the north-east inner city. It was brilliant to see parents and children involved in home learning and other facilities. That is why I gave the €2 million. I divided the rest of the money equally among the local authorities throughout the country. I am reviewing it. The Deputy is correct. I want to be able to give more funding to bigger urban areas rather than the smaller urban areas. That is why I opened the scheme in November. I am very pleased I opened the scheme. It provided €2 million for inner city Dublin and there is €3.5 million ring-fenced for this year. I am pleased the scheme is open. It is a scheme that was closed for a long time and I am glad it is open again because we have a lot of disadvantage in a lot of urban areas around the country.

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