The RAPID Scheme
Location: City Hall, The Mall, Waterford.
Contact Person: Vinnie O'Shea
Phone: 051-849990
E-mail: voshea@waterfordcity.ie
RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) is a focused Government initiative to target the 46 most disadvantaged urban areas and provincial towns in the country. Waterford City has 3 areas designated under Strand I of the programme since 2001 (Ballybeg, Larchville Lisduggan and pockets of the Inner City). The implementation of the RAPID programme is led by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
RAPID aims to:
- Increase the investment made by Government departments and state agencies in the designated areas; Ballybeg, Larchville Lisduggan, Inner City
- Improve the delivery of public services through integration and coordination
- Enhance the opportunities for communities to participate in the strategic improvement of their areas.
RAPID is implemented locally by the Waterford RAPID Area Implementation Team (AIT) (a cross-sectoral grouping) and is supported by Vinnie O’Shea RAPID Coordinator. Waterford City Development Board monitors the programme locally.
The Waterford RAPID AIT has produced a plan for the implementation of the programme containing a variety of proposals to Government departments and state agencies for the funding of new projects and proposals to improve local coordination of public service delivery.
Some small-scale proposals are responded to through a range of dedicated RAPID funds, which resource projects such as playground developments, physical environment enhancements, small-scale community health initiatives and traffic safety measures. Larger scale local proposals are responded to through Government prioritisation of RAPID areas in the use of mainstream departmental resources and allocation of funds.
