Jack Wall
Question:378 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if schools (details supplied) in County Kildare qualify for the second tranche of the RAPID programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19271/01]
Written Answers. - RAPID Programme.
Jack Wall
Question:381 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 129 of 14 June 2001, the schools mentioned will be considered for the second allocation of the RAPID scheme. [18537/01]
Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Mr. Ryan)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 381 together.
The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness included a commitment to target the 25 areas with the greatest concentration of disadvantage for priority investment under the National Development Plan 2000-06. Strand I of the RAPID programme has been developed to deliver on that commitment and the 25 areas selected represent the most-deprived 5% of district electoral divisions in the country. County Kildare is not included among the areas selected for Strand I of the programme.
Strand II of the RAPID Programme, providing targeted support to provincial towns under the National Development Plan, is currently being developed by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. The Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, is developing a programme targeting rural decline, entitled the CLÁR programme.
The areas that will benefit from the next phase of the RAPID Programme have yet to be selected under the various selection processes to be established by these two Departments, and no commitment can be given in advance as to projects which may or may not be included when the areas are selected.