Written answers

Thursday, 27 September 2007

Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs

Departmental Programmes

5:00 pm

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 46: 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; if he is satisfied with the operation of RAPID; his views on whether more communities should be designated as RAPID areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20955/07]

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon 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 46 designated RAPID areas.

As I have indicated to the House on a number of occasions, it is a matter for individual Departments to report on the provision of funding and progress on delivery with respect to projects under their responsibility in the RAPID areas.

The Deputy will be aware that Pobal commissioned an evaluation of the RAPID programme on behalf of my Department. The report indicates that the experience of the RAPID Programme has been very positive in many areas and the evaluators have concluded that the Programme has made substantial progress in identifying the needs of disadvantaged communities and in implementing important local projects in response to those needs.

The main strengths of the Programme are stated to be the facilitation of a significant number of local development projects addressing the most pressing needs of the local community. In the opinion of local stakeholders, these projects would not have progressed without the establishment of the RAPID programme. Another key strength noted was the establishment of structures that have provided a mechanism for disadvantaged communities to identify needs and to influence policy. These structures allowed for the development of effective working partnerships between the key players, the levering of greater national and local government investment in RAPID areas and the development of innovative practice with regard to projects, community participation and engagement.

The evaluators recommended enhanced monitoring structures, the adoption of annual work programmes, and improved corporate and business planning in agencies to prioritise RAPID areas for investment. I have considered the evaluation findings and recommendations set out in the Report. My officials have been working with other Departments and agencies over the last number of months in implementing some of the key recommendations in the report. This work recognises not only the continuing priorities identified by areas in the previous plans but also the need to build on the work and experience gained through completed projects as well as the need to develop new projects. The aim is to help in bringing a tighter focus to the area plans as each Area Implementation Team (AIT) will prioritise projects within the themes.

I initiated the Leverage schemes in 2004 in order to support small-scale projects identified locally by the Area Implementation Teams in each of the RAPID areas. These schemes are co-funded by the relevant agencies and fund projects that focus on estate enhancement, graffiti clean-up, traffic calming, CCTV, health and sports facilities, and the provision of playgrounds. Since the introduction of these schemes I have increased the cumulative amount of funds allocated from some €6.5m in 2004 to over €15m to-date.

As I have previously indicated I have no plans at present to further extend the areas covered by the RAPID Programme, however, I intend to examine the full updated Census data, and its application to RAPID areas, over the next few months.

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