The Irish government has allocation €140k to Ennis, County Clare, under the newly launched RAPID Physical Environment Improvement Scheme 2009-2013.

Details of the Scheme were unveiled by Communities Minister Éamon Ó Cuív, who confirmed his department would make €9.2m available to RAPID areas annually over the next five years.

The new scheme replaces the Local Authority Housing Estate Enhancement and Traffic Measures Schemes, which are being discontinued.

Clare TD Tony Killeen said the money allocated to Ennis RAPID would be used to support locally identified small-scale capital works in local authority housing estates, civic and open spaces, and locations that have become neglected or in need of rehabilitation.

"According to guidelines issued under the new scheme, the design of each local scheme should be based on making the optimal use of open space, improving the general environmental condition for RAPID communities, addressing issues of poor design and accessibility and improving public safety and accessibility," said Mr Killeen.

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The RAPID Physical Environment Improvement Scheme will cover the period 2009 to 2013 inclusive and will consist of five annual cycles, incorporating an application and claim process for each year of operation. This is to afford communities the flexibility to produce 5-year plans.

All contributions by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will be matched by local authority funding on a €1 to €1 basis. Annual funding totalling €9.2m will be provided for works under this scheme, €4.6m from the RAPID leverage fund and €4.6m from the relevant local authority.

The RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) Programme is a focussed Government initiative to target the 46 most disadvantaged areas in the country.

The Programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within the 46 designated areas through targeting state resources, available under the National Development Plan.

The Programme also calls on Government Departments and State Agencies to bring about better co-ordination and closer integration in the delivery of services.

There are two Strands of the Programme - Strand I targets 26 urban areas, while Strand II targets 20 provincial towns around the country.

(PR/JM)