Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 7: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of funding he will allocate to the RAPID areas for 2009; if there will be a reduction in funding for these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2574/09]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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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 across the country. It is a matter for individual Departments to report on the provision of funding and progress on delivery with respect to projects under their responsibility in the RAPID areas. Pobal collects data from each RAPID area in respect of funding allocations received by projects from Departments and local State agencies. The latest data in respect of the programme is available on Pobal's website under the RAPID section, which is http://www.pobal.ie/live/RAPID and the Deputy may find it useful to access this information.

I initiated the RAPID leverage schemes in 2004 in order to support small-scale projects identified locally by the area implementation teams in each of the RAPID areas. These schemes are co-funded by the relevant agencies and fund projects that focus on estate enhancement, graffiti removal, traffic calming, community closed-circuit television, health and sports facilities and the provision of playgrounds and multi-use games areas. In 2007, I agreed to co-fund the provision of facilities in schools located in, or mainly servicing children from, RAPID areas.

A total of €6.5 million has been allocated in the budget for the RAPID leverage schemes in 2009. While this is a reduction on the amount allocated in 2008, my primary concern will continue to be to make every effort to ensure the front-line services provided by my Department are protected, especially those focused on the needs of the most socially deprived communities. I am satisfied that this year's allocation will be sufficient to enable further good progress to be made with small-scale co-funded projects in RAPID areas in 2009.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Since the RAPID programme began, it has been very difficult to identify the projects that were completed as a consequence. Perhaps they would have been completed in any case. How many were completed earlier than anticipated because of the programme? Did the programme really concentrate resources in the 46 RAPID areas? Has anyone determined what exactly the programme has achieved? Claims have been made on the Government side that many projects were completed as a result of the RAPID programme. One would be sceptical about this and ask whether they might have been completed in any case. Is there any way of telling what the programme really delivered?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To give the Deputy a very straight answer, I am not sure. It is a valid question and I have often asked it myself. It is very hard to determine. Consider, for example, the case of a community council that keeps asking a local council to fix the pavement. When it gets fixed, it is impossible to prove whether it would have happened anyway or whether the community council was an agent in making it happen. Therefore, it would be unreasonable for me to claim all the projects in RAPID areas and all the projects associated with work programmes were carried out solely because of the RAPID programme. I do not believe this is true.

We had a RAPID conference today. If I were asked to state the real nub of RAPID, I would say it is that, through the area implementation teams, the people living in the areas concerned for the first time sit at the table as equals. When facilities are needed in an area, the team is present to represent that area and have an input. Deputy O'Shea's theory is probably correct that some projects would be carried out in any case. Let us consider the case of a health centre in this category. The difference RAPID could make is that, when such a centre is being built, the area implementation team, because it would sit as an equal at the table with the HSE, or because there would be some RAPID leverage money available, would be able to determine the type of centre to be constructed and the services provided. This, in itself, could make a considerable qualitative, rather than a quantitative, difference.

I stated publicly today that the defining difference between living in a local authority housing estate and elsewhere, be it in an urban or rural area, is that in the former case most decisions have been made for one by others. I refer to the size of the house, the shape of the rooms and the community facilities. Local authority housing residents have had very little input into any decision affecting their area. On the other extreme, the main characteristic of small rural communities is the considerable input they have into what happens, for better or for worse. Under the RAPID programme, I wanted to give that kind of input to the public through the area implementation teams. It is a question of having the community representative sit at the table with the Department's leverage money saying, "If we do not agree, there is no deal". For the first time, the representatives have cash when talking to officials.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for his frankness. To some extent, he shares my scepticism and concerns. Consider the allocation for this year in terms of the initiation of projects. The Minister stated what would be provided would not be affected by the cutback. How much is the shortfall? Can the Minister stand over a statement to the effect that a cutback in resources will not diminish service?

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I believe the figure was €7.8 million and is now €6.5 million, indicating a shortfall of €1.3 million. That fund was not very big in the beginning. I still believe we can have a very good programme this year. The leverage fund only covers the small projects as the big projects are covered by the Departments from their own funding. It is not within the scope of the RAPID leverage fund to provide schools and major health facilities, etc.

I have said that, in everything I have done in the Department, I have tried to keep the front line money in place, particularly on the current side. I have cut all the administration funds, thus affecting bodies such as Pobal and Údarás na Gaeltachta. They are all complaining but I have still done it. In fairness, some of the agencies have been very helpful and understanding in respect of why it had to be done. The leverage fund, small as it is, involves the communities having a veto over money that the local authority, for example, would have to match. Normally, if the local authority grants money, it totally determines what happens, but now the communities have a say.

We allocate some money from the dormant accounts fund for discretionary spending. It amounts to approximately €100,000 for RAPID areas. This still remains a top priority for me, although the dormant accounts fund is beginning to become depleted after five years.

Today we invited a good selection of the sports organisations to the conference at Croke Park, including the FAI, IRFU, the camogie representatives, the GAA, and Swim Ireland. Many of these bodies have considerable resources and we were telling them to match the resources the area implementation teams receive through the dormant accounts fund and to increase activity in sport in the RAPID areas. For every euro we give, I hope we would get €2 or €3 from the sports organisations.