Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of applications for funding made to his Department under the RAPID programme in respect of each year and in respect of each area since its inception; the number of grants drawn down; the amount of funding in relation to each area; the number of grants not drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24963/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the proposed extent of expenditure under the RAPID programme in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24997/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 46 together.

The RAPID Programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within 46 designated RAPID areas nationally. 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. In support, Pobal collects data from each RAPID area in respect of funding allocations received by projects from Government Departments and local state agencies. The latest data in respect of the programme is available on Pobal's website under the RAPID section (http://www.pobal.ie/live/RAPID). The Deputy may find it helpful to access this information.

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. Earlier this year I agreed to co-fund the provision of facilities in schools located in, or mainly servicing children from, RAPID areas. Details of funding allocated to all areas since 2004 are contained in the appendix.

Each of the 46 RAPID area makes applications under each cycle of each leverage scheme. To date there have been three cycles of the Local Authority Housing Estate Enhancement Scheme, two cycles of the Traffic Measures Scheme and three cycles of the Playground Scheme. Applications under other schemes — Sports Capital Top Up, CCTV, Health, Graffiti Removal and Schools Facilities are made to the relevant lead Department. In 2008 funding of some €1.5 million is allocated for current expenditure and of some €7.8 million for capital expenditure for the RAPID Leverage schemes. The provision in my Department's Vote funds the community support and administrative costs of RAPID Area Implementation Teams (AIT) and Pobal and the capital cost of the RAPID Leverage schemes.

Appendix — RAPID

The total allocation by my Department for each County is set out in the table below:

Some €17.5 m outstanding commitments from the above allocations remain to be drawn down by the areas. Total capital expenditure by my Department in all RAPID areas under the leverage schemes for each of the years 2004 to 2007 and to date in 2008 amount to €17.49m as set out in the table below:

In addition, I have provided €3m to support initiatives in RAPID areas undertaken by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for the graffiti removal project.

Under the initial round of funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund approximately €32m was approved for projects based within RAPID areas. Following enactment of the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005, funding totalling over €19m has been ring-fenced to support priority projects in RAPID areas in 2006 and 2007.