The RAPID Programme is a Government initiative, which targets 51 of the most disadvantaged areas in the country. The Programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to the 51 designated areas by focusing State resources available under the National Development Plan. The Programme also requires the Government Departments and State Agencies to bring about better co-ordination and closer integration in the delivery of services.
In May 2009 the following towns were included in the RAPID Programme: Ballina, Co. Mayo, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath and Rathkeale, Co. Limerick. This increased the number of RAPID areas from 46 to 51.
An Area Implementation Team (AIT) was established in each of the original 46 areas to develop a plan for their area. The AIT brings local State Agency personnel (Health Board, Local Authority, VEC, Dept of Social & Family Affairs, FÁS, etc) the local Partnership Company, residents of the local community and, where they exist, Local Drugs Task Forces, together to prepare a plan identifying the needs of each area.
This Department, with Pobal, will enter discussions with other Departments and Agencies to develop plans to set up AITs in each of the new RAPID areas.
The Department supported by Pobal (formerly Area Development Management (ADM) Ltd.) co-ordinates the implementation of the RAPID Programme. Further information on Pobal’s work on RAPID is available at www.pobal.ie.
The CLÁR programme (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais), launched in October 2001, is a targeted investment programme in rural areas. CLÁR complements both the RAPID programme for disadvantaged urban areas and RAPID 11, the programme for provincial towns. They were introduced on foot of commitments in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness for a targeted investment programme in both urban and rural disadvantaged areas.
The sixteen areas originally selected for inclusion in the CLÁR programme were those, which suffered the greatest population decline from 1926 to 1996, with the exception of the Cooley Peninsula (which was included based on the serious difficulties caused there by Foot and Mouth Disease). The average population loss in these regions was 50%.
Following an analysis of the Preliminary 2002 Population Census data, the CLÁR areas were reviewed and extended in January 2003 arising from a commitment in the Agreed Programme for Government. The total population covered increased to 362,000 (from 284,000) across 18 counties with part of one other county added .
The programme was extended in April 2006 to include areas with an average population loss of 35% per county between 1926 and 2002. Parts of five new counties were added, increasing the population benefiting from the programme to nearly 727,000. The programme covers parts of 22 counties and all of Co. Leitrim .
The CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Ard Riachtanais) Programmesupports physical, economic and social infrastructure in rural areas of special disadvantage across a variety of measures - such as electricity conversion, roads, water and sewerage, village, housing and schools enhancement, health, coastal and sports and community projects. CLÁR acts as a lever to elicit money from other sources through funding and co-funding arrangements with Government Departments, State Agencies and Local Authorities. In the years 2002 – 2006, €71m was expended on investments under the programme with related public and private expenditure in the region of €61m.A budget of €18.6m has been allocated to the programme for 2007.
Areas targeted under the CLÁR Programme.
Parts of Counties: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wicklow and all of County Leitrim.
Further information can be obtained from CLÁR, Rural Development Division 1 Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs,Teeling Street, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo, Ph: 071 9186700