Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an tAire. Gabhaim comhgáirdeas dó as ucht an slí in a bhfuil sé ag stiúradh an programme tábhachtach seo. I have not been in the House for very long today, but the reaction of the Opposition leads me to conclude that the Minister is doing something right. The treatment meted out to him during the past ten or 15 minutes has been disgraceful.

I had no intention of spending a great deal of time talking about CLÁR, since as a townie I have not much firsthand experience of the programme. However, I have had contact with colleagues, Senators, councillors, Deputies, and community workers throughout the country, who praise the work being done under CLÁR.

The number of areas directly funded by CLÁR is astounding. If one listened to some of the Opposition, one would imagine it deals only with roads and putting tarmac on laneways. The CLÁR programme extends across people's lives, from the provision of water and sewerage to electricity, to urban and village enhancement, local authority enhancement and major and minor health projects. It is staggering to look at the list of projects funded in 2003, which includes group water schemes, sewerage schemes, community initiatives, Knock airport, the islands and telecommunications kiosks. The signage project, involving both bilingual and safety signs, is particularly striking and affects many people travelling in Ireland. These are crucial elements in people's day to day lives. I commend the Minister. This Government and the previous one are the first in the history of the State to take seriously the concept of social inclusion. The initiation of a Cabinet sub-committee on social inclusion, which the Minister of State reports to and attends regularly, was a step in the right direction.

In my area, the RAPID funding involves a scheme very similar to CLÁR. It is a community-based scheme organised from the ground up. Its first premise is community consultation. The community is consulted first when changes, or possible funding, are indicated. From speaking to colleagues around the country, it is clear that CLÁR has played a very important role in the improvement of lives. The programme covers the areas which suffered the greatest population decline between 1926 and 1996, and CLÁR funding has made a big difference in villages, towns and cities.

The RAPID funding in my own area has enhanced people's lives immeasurably. Community groups now consult each other, local authorities, the Garda and health boards. For many years, communities were excluded from such discussions, but are now the first to be consulted. That is the change these programmes have made. Dublin inner city areas, which for years suffered greatly from drugs and unemployment, are now being completely turned around. In the last two or three months, substantial playgrounds have been opened. That might be of little consequence to some people, but to those living in flats across the road from such a playground, the difference is great. Children living in those flats cannot go out to play in fields, as they might do in rural areas. For them to be able to go to a playground and feel safe, to be supervised and enjoy some leisure activity, is part of what these programmes are about.

I will disregard the Opposition comments and will not get into parochial politics on this major issue, which affects hundreds of thousands of people's lives daily across the country. Some of the projects funded, such as water and sewerage schemes, are essential to people's lives. Village enhancement schemes, housing estate enhancement schemes, bilingual signage schemes, top-up sports capital grants, Gaeltacht sports and community grants, community initiatives, health, electricity and telecommunications are all areas on which people depend in their daily lives. Dragging this down to a parochial squabble is irresponsible. I commend the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on how these programmes are put into operation in conjunction with local groups. I wish him well with the future implementation of the programme.