Rural areas to get €46m boost

A €46 MILLION boost for rural areas over the next five years was announced by Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon Ó Cuív at the ploughing championships.

The €9.2m-a-year funding will go to a physical environment improvement scheme in local authority housing estates, civic and open spaces, and locations in areas under Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID), a government initiative to target the 46 most disadvantaged areas in the country.

Mr Ó Cuív said the purpose of the physical environment scheme is to support locally identified small-scale capital works.

“An innovation in this scheme is that allocations to each RAPID area will relate to the population and deprivation of the area rather than each area getting the same allocation as has been the practice to date.

“This change will result in a more focused targeting of funds to the larger more deprived areas while ensuring that smaller areas maintain a significant level of funding,” he said.

Mr Ó Cuív said funding will be provided by the minister’s department and local authorities.

He also announced funding of over €9.4m in 2008 for the improvement of health services in CLÁR areas. CLÁR is an investment programme for disadvantaged rural areas. His department will provide €3m and the HSE almost €6m.

Since 2002, this measure has provided funding for more than 100 projects. Those now being considered include ambulance services and upgrades to social and daycare centres.

Launching two further strategies under the RAPID programme, Mr Ó Cuív said he believes the participation of the community and local ownership is the key to achieving the aims of the programme.

Despite the downturn in the economy and the challenges faced, particularly by those involved in the building industry, he said there are untapped opportunities, especially in the areas of rural recreation and marine leisure.