Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will report on the operation of the RAPID scheme over the past 12 months; his views on whether more communities should be designated as RAPID areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14999/07]

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, RAPID priority status was extended to Ballyfermot in 2006. My Department, with the support of Pobal, has overall responsibility for the co-ordination of the RAPID programme. It is a matter for each Department to respond to issues of funding within their area of responsibility.

The House will be aware that I introduced the RAPID Leverage Schemes in 2004. Under these schemes, My Department directly funds schemes to provide playgrounds, improve traffic measures, improve health facilities, provide CCTV, support sporting organisations as well as improve local authority housing estates and flat complexes. Some €11m was committed to projects identified in co-operation with the local communities in 2006.

The evaluation of the programme published on 1 June last indicates that the experience of the RAPID Programme has been very positive in many areas. The evaluators concluded that substantial progress had been made in identifying the needs of disadvantaged communities and in implementing important local projects in response to those needs. The evaluator stated that the leverage schemes appear to have secured a greater 'buy-in' from local stakeholders and were facilitating further activity at local level. The report also identifies strengths and weaknesses of the Programme and proposes 25 recommendations. Work on advancing the implementation of these recommendations commenced in 2006 and is continuing; these include, enhanced monitoring structures, the adoption of annual work programmes, and improved corporate and business planning in agencies to prioritise RAPID areas for investment.

The RAPID Area Implementation Team (AIT) structure has allowed for effective engagements with the local communities and provided community representatives with greater opportunities to work with the local authorities and statutory agencies in identifying the problems that affect their areas. Matters requiring attention have been identified and prioritised for funding. There is widespread agreement that local consultation has played a key role in supporting statutory agencies in developing appropriate responses. Community representatives are supported to work in their immediate neighbourhoods to ensure deeper and wider involvement of the community with RAPID and the statutory agencies.

It is my strong view that we should build on the successes of the RAPID programme as shown through the community participation and local buy-in achieved to-date. I believe that the achievements of the local structures established under RAPID should be acknowledged from both the physical transformation that has begun to take shape in RAPID areas and the improved levels of community involvement and confidence in the process. I believe that the AITs provide a solid basis for moving forward with the programme.

As I have previously indicated I have no plans at present to further extend the areas covered by the RAPID Programme.