Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the changes made to the RAPID programme since he came into office; the funding provided for this programme in each year since its inception; the provision for 2013; the number and dates of the meetings held of the National Monitoring Committee of RAPID since he took office; the number of these meetings he attended; the number of meetings he has had with all the chairs and coordinators together since coming to office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5669/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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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 in RAPID areas nationally. The programme was launched in 25 urban areas in February 2001. It was extended to 20 provincial towns in February 2002. Ballyfermot was added in 2006 and in late 2009, following an independent review of the findings from the 2006 census returns, five new areas were brought into the programme, namely, Ballina, Dungarvan, Enniscorthy, Mullingar and Rathkeale. This brings the number of designated RAPID areas to 51.

RAPID seeks to bring about significant improvements in the lives of the residents in RAPID areas and does so in three main ways, namely, giving, where possible, priority access to available resources to RAPID communities, improving the delivery of public services through integration and co-ordination and improving the opportunities for communities to participate in the strategic improvement of their areas.

I have not made any changes to the RAPID programme since coming to office. My Department officials last met the RAPID chairs and co-ordinators at a conference in February 2012 and the national monitoring committee has not met in the past two years. As part of my continuing engagement with both the local development and local government sectors, I have met many of the chairs and co-ordinators at different times and in various forums.

I will circulate a table indicating the funding provided for the RAPID programme for the years from 2004 to 2012. An indicative allocation of more than €2 million will be made available for RAPID in 2013 and it will be principally used to meet my Department's existing contractual commitments on RAPID projects throughout the country. These are mainly sports capital top-ups and CCTV systems, jointly funded by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Justice and Equality respectively.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Minister believe the RAPID programme provides a useful vehicle for dealing with issues in deprived communities? Will the Minister indicate if he believes the programme gives buy-in for local communities into their future? What certainty has been achieved since the withdrawal of funding for RAPID co-ordinators that the local authorities will continue to fund dedicated RAPID co-ordinators in each one of these communities, which are scientifically recognised as being the most deprived communities in Ireland? As there has been no meeting of the monitoring committee, is the Minister willing to have a collective meeting of the chairs and co-ordinators of the RAPID area and implementation teams to discuss the future of the programme, as was done under the previous Government?

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I know Deputy Ó Cuív has a very serious interest in these matters, which I acknowledge, and the RAPID programme has made progress in identifying the needs of disadvantaged communities, bringing forward important local projects in response to relevant needs. The Deputy brought forward a few projects in his time but did not provide money for them.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I did.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I subsequently found some money for certain projects in the five designated towns identified in 2009, arising from the same criteria mentioned by the Deputy. The Deputy was associated with leverage schemes and we had to seize the leverage that money could provide with regard to projects like traffic calming, graffiti removal and provision of play groups. That came from other Departments because of existing financial commitments. Social inclusion measures will continue to play a major role and I will ensure this is the case with local authorities when RAPID and other agencies are more closely aligned with the local government sector.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I will repeat the question. Is the Minister certain that local authorities will fund the RAPID co-ordinators from their funds? These co-ordinators are vital to the scheme. Will the Minister meet the chairs and co-ordinators of the RAPID area implementation teams to get their views?

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I am glad to consider the matters raised by the Deputy and I will undertake to ensure that with the local government fund, measures taken to improve the areas identified by RAPID will continue to be prioritised under social inclusion measures in 2014 and beyond. In 2013 all we have is the money necessary for existing contractual obligations. The Deputy knows that when money runs out, as it did under his watch-----

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It is top-slicing.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Much slicing was done in the Deputy's time and we have had to do a fair amount of salami slicing since to make up for what was done in those 14 years. We do not have money for everything and there must be priorities. I will ask local authorities to prioritise the RAPID areas for funding and I will consider meeting the chairs under the auspices of the national monitoring committee. I will revert to the Deputy.