Areas selected under the RAPID programme for Kilkenny include:

Hebron Park,Loughboy, Bishop Birch Place, Ossory Park, De La Salle Place, Newpark Close,OLoughlin Court,
Millenium Court, St. Marys Avenue, New Park Lower,New Orchard, Pococke Valley, The Butts, St. Canices,
McCauley Place, and St. Catherines.

THE RAPID PROGRAMME FOR PROVINCIAL TOWNS

What is the RAPID Programme?

The RAPID Programme is a focused Government response aimed at helping communities living in areas, which have not
fully shared in our recent prosperity. The programme is made up of two Strands - Strand I (which was launched in
February 2001), focuses on major urban areas and Strand II which deals with provincial towns, including the city of
Galway (which was not included in Strand I). The CLÁR Programme for rural areas was launched in October 2001.
RAPID stands for Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development. As the name implies RAPID is about prioritising in a coherent, targeted and accelerated way, new and improved services and infrastructural investment to the communities living in RAPID areas. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), Government Departments and State Agencies, including local authorities, will be giving special attention to the areas targeted to ensure efficient and effective implementation of RAPID.

What Provincial Towns are included in the Programme?

Twenty towns, including parts of Galway city, have been selected for inclusion in the Provincial Towns Strand of the
RAPID Programme. These are made up of ten large and ten small towns. The towns were identified on the basis of
objective criteria, including educational attainment and social housing. The identification process was managed by Area Development Management Limited (ADM) on behalf of the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
Details of the twenty towns are set out in the Appendix 1.

Who will Benefit?

The aim is to ensure that disadvantaged areas within all towns selected under RAPID are re-vitalised and renewed. Altogether, it is estimated that around 100,000 people stand to benefit from the provincial towns strand of RAPID. For
the bigger towns investment will be targeted at those areas within the town identified as most in need. In the case of smaller towns, there will be a more whole town approach, but with the emphasis on disadvantaged areas within these town(s).

How can a town access support?

How will it work?

The delivery arrangements for the Provincial Towns Strand as suitably adapted, generally mirror those for Strand I
(major urban areas). The targeted RAPID areas within the towns will be prioritised for investment and development
under the NDP in line with priorities set out in the Area Implementation Plan. Such priorities might include: health,
education, housing, childcare and community facilities including sports facilities, youth development, employment, drug
misuse and policing.
Each RAPID area will, however, have varying needs and priorities. The intention is that real and practical improvements
will be made to make sure services are better and easier to access. Essentially whats involved is getting the various State Agencies working together and pooling resources for the benefit of the more disadvantaged areas in response to identified needs.

Area Implementation Team

An Area Implementation Team for the town will be established. It will bring together local State Agency personnel (Local Authority, Health Board, VEC, Dept of Social, Community and Family Affairs, FÁS, etc), the local Partnership Company and residents from the local community. The team will have the support of the relevant County Development Board, the
local authority and the RAPID liaison staff in Area Development Management Ltd.

Implementation Plan

The Area Implementation Team will draw up an implementation plan for the RAPID areas. The local authority will appoint
a special local co-ordinator for each provincial town to help draw up and implement the Plan in consultation with the
relevant agencies and the local community. The local co-ordinator will work with the local community to:
a) identify what the local needs really are;
b) see how best to tackle the problems identified;
c) ensure provision and co-ordination of services and investment involving the kinds of services and facilities that are most urgently needed in the area and which can be delivered within the next three years.
The implementation plan will build on and take account of existing plans for the relevant areas within the selected towns. The focus will be on targeting genuine need in a realistic and achievable manner.

Will the local community have a say?

Involvement of the local community is crucial to the success of the Programme. The local community will have access to
their local co-ordinator in identifying local needs. The Area Implementation Team, which will propose plans for each
area, will include residents from the local community.

How will RAPID be monitored?

The Social Inclusion Co-ordinating Group which is linked to the County Development Board will be expanded, and
adapted as necessary, to monitor the RAPID Programme at local level. It will comprise State Agency personnel, local
public representatives, representatives of the local development sector and the Social Partners. This Monitoring Group
will have an input into devising a plan for the area and ensuring the delivery of services. There is also a National
Monitoring Committee, chaired by Dr. Maureen Gaffney, overseeing the RAPID Programme, which will report to Government.

How to get more information?

More information can be obtained from Ronan Ryan Community and Enterprise Dept, Kilkenny County Council, Johns St Kilkenny, tele 056 52699 or email ronan.ryan@kilkennycoco.ie

Kilkenny RAPID Programme

Interested in representing your Community ?

For further details

Contact Ronan Ryan at Kilkenny County Council.
Telephone 056-52699
Or E-mail ronan.ryan@kilkennycoco.ie