Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 May 2012
9Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the provision of funding for the RAPID scheme in Rathkeale, County Limerick; and if he will develop targeted regeneration scheme for the town. [22087/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2009 the Government approved disbursements from the dormant accounts fund for a once-off measure to the value of €1.25 million for the five new provincial towns incorporated under the RAPID programme, including Rathkeale. To date, it has not been possible to allocate funds to meet the cost of the proposed projects in any of the new RAPID programme towns because there is no money available. The dormant accounts capital budget for my Department for 2012 is fully committed to existing projects and the priority in the light of that allocation must be to ensure sufficient funding is available to meet existing legal contractual commitments. In the meantime, my Department will keep under review the scope to secure funds within its Vote to meet the cost of some of the projects, if I can, in 2012.
Under the national housing regeneration programme, my Department supports a range of regeneration projects, including large mono-tenure areas, inner city flat complexes and social housing estates in regional towns. To qualify for such support, a local authority must first demonstrate significant social and economic disadvantage and a poor living environment and that these challenges cannot be met by other interventions, for example, through remedial works. To date, my Department has not received an application for such support for a regeneration project in Rathkeale.
I have raised this issue a number of times. Rathkeale is the second largest town in County Limerick and has deep-rooted, chronic systemic problems associated with property ownership which are exacerbated by the fact the vast majority of property is owned by members of the Traveller community who reside in the State intermittently and do not exercise responsibility in terms of property ownership. Dereliction, abandonment and unauthorised developments are the order of the day.
The local community council has been very proactive in trying to deal with these issues. It has come to a stage where the non-Traveller community in Rathkeale feels completely under siege because any piece of property which comes for sale in Rathkeale is immediately snapped up by a member of the Traveller community at a price which is out of the reach of the majority of the non-Traveller community. Rathkeale has been dropped off many maps. For example, tourism promotion maps of the mid-west are dropping Rathkeale. I could speak for the night in regard to the issues.
I ask the Minister and the Minister of State, as I asked Deputy Penrose when it was his job, could they take the time to meet the Rathkeale community council and try to develop some kind of a plan to help them to address the issues. For example, a property audit needs to be carried out in Rathkeale, at a minimum, and there are many other issues associated with the RAPID project. Will the Minister give a commitment to meet this group at some time in the near future?
I realise the genuine concerns of Deputy Collins in regard to this matter, which he and the other Deputies in the constituency, Deputies Neville and O'Donovan, have raised on a number of occasions. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, and I are very keen to assist in whatever way we can but we will not give false hope. If savings accrue during the year in regard to other contractual obligations we have, perhaps we will able to do something for places like Rathkeale. We are not going to announce an initiative with no money, as happened in the past, as that would give false hope to people.
While I will take on board what Deputy Collins has said, I do not believe the opportunity that presents in the short term will satisfy the requirements in Rathkeale. We will be glad to keep him informed if any savings accrue from contractual obligations that are ongoing in 2012. Rathkeale will certainly be one of the priority areas we will consider favourably.
I believe some of what the previous speaker said had an anti-Traveller tone. I tend to resent some of the things that have been said about the Traveller community and minority communities.
RAPID has been fantastic for certain disadvantaged areas like my area of Finglas and Ballymun, which has availed of the programme. The Minister said money may become available. Is there a possibility of reintroducing RAPID, which has addressed huge areas throughout the country? If he does get extra cash, it is important he would look at these areas. RAPID adds to the quality of life and cuts down the problems we face in most of these areas.
We are very conscious of a number of areas where we would like to have money to implement programmes that were brought to our attention through the RAPID programmes. I am very committed to the RAPID and regeneration programmes, as is the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan. We are, unfortunately, in a bailout programme and cash is not as plentiful as it was. Therefore, we are quite straight with people. If we find savings during the course of the year from projects that are under way, we will be glad to redirect some of those resources to areas of greatest need, including the areas mentioned by the Deputy.
Does Deputy Collins wish to add to that?
I am not anti-Traveller; I am pro-----
He sounds like it.
I am pro the community in Rathkeale, who are under siege from elements of the Traveller community-----
The Deputy is playing to the locals.
-----who are blatantly flouting the law. There are severe question marks over where they get the money to purchase many of their properties. That is a fact. The Criminal Assets Bureau, CAB, is working on that and monitoring it so-----
Has the Deputy a question for the Minister?
No, I am just responding to an assertion that I am anti-Traveller. I am pro the community who are under siege from certain sections of the Traveller community in Rathkeale.
They could be the only section that is causing trouble.
The Deputy does not know what he is talking about, with respect. He probably could not find Rathkeale if he tried.
It is very anti-Traveller.
