Scheme to help disadvantaged urban areas fails to deliver, says Fine Gael

OVER E160 million has been spent on helping 45 of the most disadvantaged urban communities throughout the country fight social exclusion.

But the Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID) programme has been strongly criticised by the opposition for failing to deliver.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern promised that 2 billion of National Development Plan funds would be channelled to RAPID areas by 2004 when he launched the scheme almost three years ago.

Fine Gael accused the Government yesterday of failing to deliver this pledge.

“It is impossible to determine how much money spent in RAPID areas so far was not just already allocated to existing projects,” Fine Gael community, rural and Gaeltacht affairs spokesman Fergus O’Dowd said. But the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, which has overall responsibility for implementing the scheme, insisted last night that substantially over 160m has been spent on the RAPID areas.

“It is difficult to give and exact figure on how much more money has been spent because RAPID is administered through individual departments,” the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs spokeswoman said. The 160m has been spent on childcare, youth programmes and drugs initiatives in RAPID areas, the spokeswoman added.

Significant funding has also been allocated to the Departments of Education and Science through the School Completion Programme and Back to Education Initiative, she said.

Funds have also been provided to FÁS for Community Employment schemes and drugs and childcare programmes.

The company driving the scheme, Area Development Management (ADM) said yesterday that all 45 disadvantaged urban areas targeted by RAPID had received funding.

But ADM director Jerry Murphy said all these areas need additional investment. “The latest announcement that some of the 30 million not claimed in dormant accounts is to go to the RAPID areas is welcome and will be a great help in implementing the programme,” said Mr Murphy.