Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will consider extending the recently announced health funding in RAPID areas to CLÁR areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16675/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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In addition to supporting health related measures under the CLÁR programme, I have introduced a number of similar measures under the RAPID programme. In 2002 and 2003 CLÁR funding of nearly €500,000 was provided for more than 30 health projects in the selected areas. In October 2004 I announced a second round of minor health projects in the CLÁR areas covered by the north-eastern, north-western, western, mid-western, south-eastern and southern health boards. Each health board covering CLÁR areas was invited, in the first instance, to submit proposals for CLÁR funding to the Department of Health and Children. The total cost of the 95 projects subsequently approved by the Department of Health and Children and recommended to my Department for funding is nearly €7.5 million. Of this, the CLÁR programme has approved some €2.5 million in line with the funding ratio of €2 of health board or other funding for every €1 in CLÁR funding. The work will be carried out fully in the period October 2004 to December 2006.

Health projects to be funded include development, refurbishment and improvement of health centres and facilities, including ambulance services, the provision of people carriers and upgrades to social centres, day care centres, etc.