51 Mr. D. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the rural strand of the RAPID programme, CLÁR, targeting areas where population decline has been most significant, will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18485/01]

An announcement of the rural areas selected for the CLÁR programme will be made in the coming weeks. The areas to be selected will be chosen on the principle of population decline, where such decline has been the most critical over the 1926-96 period, based on census of population data over this interval. In line with the Government commitment in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to target investment to the most disadvantaged areas, the intention of the CLÁR Programme is to prioritise and accelerate national development plan expenditure for State services and facilities to these rural areas.