Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 31: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of RAPID areas within his Department's remit; the plans he has to extend such areas or create new areas; the number of dedicated staff within his Department that deal with such areas; the number of reviews of progress made in such areas; the changes in policy as a result of such reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24965/08]

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 46 designated RAPID areas. In terms of reviewing the programme, my attention at present is focused on an analysis of recent Census data with a view to ensuring that the boundaries of existing RAPID areas are appropriate. A key concern will be to ensure that the effectiveness of the RAPID Programme is not diluted and that Government action continues to prioritise and target communities with the greatest needs. The Government has given a commitment to continue to prioritise investment in the existing RAPID areas and no area currently included in the Programme will lose its eligibility for priority treatment.

Deputies will be aware that there was an evaluation of the RAPID Programme in 2006, which indicated that the experience of the Programme has been very positive in many areas and that it has made substantial progress in identifying the needs of disadvantaged communities and in implementing important local projects in response to those needs. The evaluation recommended that a future Programme should be developed under a number of key Strategic Themes. These were Community Safety & Anti-social Behaviour, Family, Youth, Physical Environment, Education, Health and Employment/Training.

A national framework for the development of these strategic themes is now in place and will support the development of strategies and plans to respond to the issues within a local context identified by the Area Implementation Teams (AIT). Each Department/Agency with responsibility for the strategic themes has prepared guidance for the AIT that includes objectives, performance indicators and targets. These will be further developed within the AIT in each RAPID area. I launched the Health, Family and Community Safety and Anti-social Behaviour themes on 30th January 2008. Responsibility for the development of each strategic theme rests with the lead Department or Agency. I expect to launch the remaining four Themes later this year.

Finally, I initiated the RAPID 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 removal, traffic calming, community closed-circuit television, health and sports facilities, and the provision of playgrounds and multi-use games areas. The individual schemes are subject to ongoing review to ensure that they remain responsive to the demands of the RAPID communities. Where opportunities arise, the eligibility of individual schemes can be extended to reflect emerging needs identified by the Area Implementation Teams in each of the RAPID areas. At present, there are 3.5 head of staff within the Department engaged in working directly on the RAPID Programme.