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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 19 Nov 2002

Vol. 557 No. 4

Written Answers. - RAPID Programme.

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

322 Mr. O'Dowd asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the moneys available in his Department for the RAPID programme; the requests he has received for funding of the RAPID programme; the funding which has been granted to the RAPID programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22670/02]

There is no specific funding available in my Department for distribution under the revitalising areas through planning, investment and development – RAPID – programme. Targeted areas are, however, prioritised for investment and development under the national lottery funded sports capital programme. The programme, which is administered by my Department, allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country towards the provision of sport and recreational facilities.

Projects located in disadvantaged areas are prioritised in the process of assessing applications under the sports capital programme. Disadvantaged areas are those which have been designated by Government for special support through the regional operational programmes of the national development plan, that is, areas supported by area partnership companies as designated by Area Development Management – ADM – Limited. RAPID areas come within this definition. Under the 2002 sports capital programme, a total of almost €44.3 million was allocated to projects in the designated disadvantaged areas.

Officials of my Department are consulting with the RAPID national monitoring committee on how targeted areas can be prioritised within the 2003 sports capital programme. As the proposals for the development of sport facilities contained in the area implementation plans were not submitted to my Department prior to the closing date for the 2002 sports capital programme, it was not possible to prioritise them for this year's programme.

Of the projects listed in the area implementation plans submitted subsequently for consideration, 18 would normally be eligible for applying for funding under the sports capital programme. Of these, 13 had not applied for funding under the 2002 sports capital programme and were advised to prepare applications for funding under the 2003 programme. Five had applied indepen dently to the programme, of which four had been allocated funding. These were as follows:

RAPID Area

Project

2002 Sports Capital Allocation

Cork –Knocknaheeny- Churchfield

Churchfield Swimming Pool Refurbishment (dry facilities)

€400,000

Limerick – South

Rathbane Public Golf Course

€100,000

Limerick – South

Southill Weight and Power Lifting Club

€4,000

Limerick – South

Old Christians GAA Club

€30,000

Total

€534,000

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