Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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38. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether he will provide supports for suburban Dublin villages that currently do not meet the criteria for urban and town regeneration schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22378/26]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for a range of initiatives which address deprivation and regenerate communities in both rural and urban areas. The current Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a new communities initiative, similar in style to the previous RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) programme, where all state agencies work together to implement community development and town-centre rejuvenation. Capital funding of €5 million was announced in Budget 2026 for the introduction of the new programme.

My Department is currently examining the potential formulation of this programme. Considerations that will inform the development of the new programme will include, but are not limited to, the changed demographic and socio-economic landscape since the previous programme, potential geographical areas to be considered for targeted support and the levels of funding already available through other schemes in my Department.

The original RAPID programme was established in 2001. It was an area-based approach to disadvantage, representing a focused initiative by Government to target the most concentrated areas of disadvantage in the country. It was delivered in a number of suburban Dublin areas and such areas are under consideration for the new programme as well as similar areas in other cities and towns. It is expected that the new programme will launch in the coming weeks.