Vol. 547 No. 1
68 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress made to date regarding the implementation of the RAPID programme; the number of areas in respect of which plans have been submitted to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2528/02]
As the Deputy is aware, the RAPID programme is a focused initiative by the Government to target the 25 most concentrated areas of disadvantage here. The programme will ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within the designated areas through targeting State resources available under the NDP.
The area implementation plans for 13 of the 25 RAPID areas have been approved by the relevant city/county development boards and submitted to the national co-ordinator for the programme at ADM Limited. In early March the plans for the remaining 12 areas – eight in the Dublin City Council area and four in the South Dublin County Council area – will go before the next meetings of the development boards for approval.
All of the proposals contained in the plans already received have been submitted by the national co-ordinator to the relevant Departments for dissemination either within them or to the appropriate agencies under their remit.
As part of the process, Departments and agencies have been asked to establish a timeframe for implementation of each proposal. This will enable the national co-ordinator to track delivery of the overall programme.
A national monitoring committee, under the chairmanship of Ms Maureen Gaffney, has been established and its first meeting will take place on 12 February. The committee will oversee the operation of the programme and it will report to the Cabinet Committee on Social Inclusion on progress in its implementation.
Question No. 69 answered with Question No. 59.
Question No. 70 answered with Question No. 59.
Question No. 71 answered with Question No. 43.
