Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the projects in RAPID areas in Cork City that have been allocated funding under his Department's RAPID leverage fund since 2004; and his views on investing in the provision of multi-use games areas, particularly for teenage people in these areas following the continuation of the RAPID programme in the new National Development Plan 2007 to 2013. [7602/07]

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 the 45 designated RAPID areas. In addition, in 2006 RAPID priority status was extended to Ballyfermot. My Department, with the support of Pobal, has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of the RAPID programme.

The House will be aware that I introduced the RAPID Leverage Schemes in 2004. Under these schemes, my Department provides funds with other Departments and agencies to provide small-scale local projects such as playgrounds, traffic measures, improved health facilities, CCTV, and top-up funds for projects promoted by sporting organisations under the Sports Capital Programme. In 2006 the terms and conditions of the Playgrounds leverage scheme were extended to enable multi-use games areas or MUGAs to be funded. I believe this initiative has been a very welcome addition to the scheme.

The four designated RAPID areas in Cork City have been allocated a total of over €2.6 million since 2004. The details are set out in the following tables.