Vol. 546 No. 1
8 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the progress made to date regarding the implementation of Strand II of the RAPID programme catering for rural areas and provincial towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27882/01]
Strand II of the RAPID Programme, which will focus on provincial towns, is currently being finalised. Towns will be selected on the basis of objective criteria. The identification of towns for inclusion in the programme is being pursued on behalf of my Department by Area Development Management Limited. The identification process has involved detailed analysis of a range of relevant data, including in particular, data relating to local authority housing and levels of educational attainment. This analysis has also been complemented by extensive interviews and discussions with senior local authority officials.
When will the towns and areas for inclusion in the RAPID programme be announced? When the Minister refers to towns being selected on the basis of objective criteria, does he mean they are in constituencies which are marginal for Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats in the next general election? Can we expect in the course of the next couple of months a series of individual specially tailored, specially publicised, specially election focused announcements of the towns and areas to be included in the RAPID programme?
The Deputy does a great disservice to ADM.
I am not asking about ADM.
The identification of towns for inclusion in the programme is being pursued on behalf of my Department by Area Development Management Limited. The Deputy should withdraw his allegation that ADM would—
I did not make the allegation—
The Deputy made the allegation. I have already stated how the towns will be selected by objective criteria. That is on the recommendation of ADM. Will the Deputy withdraw the allegation that they will be selected on any other basis?
I did not make that allegation. I alleged that the Minister would do it and I will not withdraw that.
If ADM makes the recommendations to me, and I accept them, am I to be accused by the Deputy of doing something political?
I made no allegation about ADM and, therefore, there is none for me to withdraw. I am asking a question of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. It is a legitimate, political one.
It is not. You have made a scurrilous allegation—
I have clearly hit a raw nerve. I have hit the bull's eye on this one.
Allow the Minister to continue, the Deputy will have an opportunity to reply.
It is a scurrilous allegation against an independent body.
I ask the Minister to give a final reply to this question and to address his remarks through the Chair.
These are being set up, as political announcements, before the general election.
Deputy Gilmore, allow the Minister to reply.
This is typical Labour Party innuendo.
We will move on to Question No. 9.
The Deputy should withdraw the remark.
I did not make any remarks about ADM—
He did, because it makes the recommendations.
