Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

639. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 16 of 11 June 2015, the substantial progress made under the revitalising areas by planning, investment and development, RAPID, programme in identifying the needs of disadvantaged communities and in bringing forward important local projects in response to those needs; the projects that have been brought forward; if these projects have been brought to fruition in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26346/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As I stated previously, my Department has continued to meet its existing contractual commitments on RAPID projects throughout the country.

RAPID leverage schemes were initiated in 2004 by the Department in order to support small-scale projects identified locally by the Area Implementation Teams in each of the RAPID areas.  These schemes were co-funded by the relevant agencies and funded projects that focused on estate enhancement, graffiti clean-up, traffic calming, CCTV, health and sports facilities, and the provision of playgrounds.

Larger scale local proposals were responded to through Government prioritisation of RAPID areas in the use of mainstream departmental resources and in the allocation of funds such as Dormant Accounts, the Sports Capital Programme and the Community-Based CCTV Programme.

There is now just one remaining measure under the RAPID programme, which accounts for unpaid commitments, namely the sports capital top-ups. In 2015, I allocated funding of €500,000 for sports capital projects under the programme and these are being jointly funded with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Drawdown to date has been €52,000 with further drawdowns anticipated over the remainder of the year.

The management of individual schemes under the Sports Capital Programme is a matter for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

As previously stated, the RAPID programme has made substantial progress in identifying the needs of disadvantaged communities and in bringing forward many important local projects in response to those needs, and should additional resources become available, further consideration can be given to suitable expenditure to benefit RAPID areas in ensuring that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion in areas covered by the programme.