John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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565. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress made in the development of a new programme to tackle urban disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50600/26]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for a range of initiatives tackling deprivation and revitalising communities in both rural and urban areas. Key existing programmes include the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Empowering Communities Programme and providing funding for the Dublin North East Inner City initiative.

SICAP is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention - a national programme that is delivered in both rural and urban areas by Local Development Companies, helping those in the greatest need to address high and persistent levels of deprivation through targeted, locally-led approaches. Funding of €50.4m is allocated for SICAP delivery in 2026. The programme encourages partnerships between individuals, community organisations, and public sector agencies to address diverse community needs.

My Department's Empowering Communities Programme (ECP) was developed in line with Government commitments to expand the Dublin North East Inner City approach to other areas. It focusses on smaller areas experiencing significant disadvantage, identified using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index. Commencing in 2022, 17 projects are currently supported under the Empowering Communities Programme.

My Department is making significant progress in revitalising communities through the ongoing work of these programmes and is well placed to play its part in the development of new initiatives for our urban communities, both in Dublin and elsewhere. I know that other urban areas outside Dublin city would also benefit from a programme that tackles urban disadvantage. In this regard, my Department is currently examining ways in which this commitment could be delivered in the context of our role in community development in urban areas.

The 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. The original RAPID programme was established in 2001 and closed in 2011. 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. Capital Funding of €5 million was secured in Budget 2026 for the introduction of the new programme.

My Department is currently examining the potential formulation of this programme. Considerations have informed the development of the new programme 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. I expect to launch the new programme shortly.