John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the Minister's opening comment, he hit the nail on the head when he spoke about the inner city. The additional funds will be made available to it where there are particular problems. There are particular problems in a range of urban areas around the country. These areas are not getting that targeted level of support, which the Minister clearly believes and understands makes a difference. There are communities right across Dublin that are not receiving anything like the level of support that the inner city is receiving. In previous parliamentary questions, the Minister referred to rural issues but what I do not wish to see is a raid on an urban fund for disadvantaged communities. That is what RAPID funding was all about, namely, for the most disadvantaged communities with the least capacity to provide for themselves and with the greatest challenges. Those challenges were clearly identified in the past. They have not gone away. The Minister has clearly articulated that in relation to the inner city.

I am pleased to hear the Minister will keep this under the review. I acknowledge the great work many of these projects do. They cannot be funded, however, at the expense of our most disadvantaged communities. I urge the Minister to look through those programmes and identify how much of the funding he is allocating is going to those with the greatest level of need.

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