On the domestic front, I wish to raise the issue of the cuts taking place throughout the country, unknown to many people who are not personally affected. I refer the Taoiseach to a story in The Irish Times this morning about cuts enforced by the Department of Health and Children to save €71,000 which will prevent Enable Ireland from providing hot meals to 53 children with disabilities. Given the scale of the cutbacks in the most vulnerable and deprived parts of the country, does the Taoiseach recall launching the RAPID programme on 8 February 2001 – RAPID stands for revitalising areas by invest ment and development. This very carefully chosen acronym was intended to convey, before the election, the Government's intention to rapidly address areas of disadvantage.

The Taoiseach will recall that the programme targeted 25 of the most disadvantaged and deprived areas of the country. Another 20 targeted areas were subsequently added. These were the most deprived areas, according to the Government's statistics, and there was to be a massive transfer of resources. The figure of €1.9 billion was mooted for fast-tracking out of the social inclusion component of the national development plan. Does the Taoiseach know that the plan has collapsed? Does he know that the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, went to Tallaght a couple weeks ago and confessed that it had collapsed and that there is no money to meet any of the plans agreed in the 45 targeted areas. The most disadvantaged communities in Ireland were told to create their own plans and that the Government would fast-track funding. There was no question of funding not being provided, but now, as soon as the election is over, the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, said – if I had the time, I would read into the record what he said – that there is no money.

I understand that Enable Ireland receives annual grants of €16 million under section 65 of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2001. The body has a shortfall, between the costs of providing services and the funding received from health boards, of €4 million. Enable Ireland has indicated that deficits have arisen for a number of reasons. A detailed review of the activities of voluntary service providers in the physical and sensory disabilities sector is being carried out jointly by the Department of Health and Children and the health boards to establish the extent of core funding and staffing deficits. It always amazes me in cases where organisations have a budget of €16 million or, in some cases, €100 million that hot meals to children seem to be cut back before anything else. Perhaps this case is different – I imagine a number of expenditure items in a budget of €16 million could be cut before hot meals to children. The issue is being examined in a detailed review.

That is a nasty suggestion.

I remember launching the RAPID programme in Fatima Mansions. Although I do not pass the area regularly, I see that large blocks of Fatima Mansions have been closed up and are due for demolition unlike that day just two years ago. There is beautiful new housing off James's Street where I launched that programme.

That has nothing to do with RAPID.

Perhaps they fell out of the sky and landed in the area. I am a bit more familiar with progress in the north-east inner city where much development is going on. Development is also going on in other areas which were designated, including Cherry Orchard. I passed through Ballymun last week and the entire area is a building site.

That has nothing to do with RAPID.

Are they not the deprived areas?

The Taoiseach, without interruption.

Maybe there are new deprived areas but they were the deprived areas I launched and I am glad to see work is going on in them.

At the time, a limited number of areas were designated, although plans were sent in from many other areas. It is not possible to deal with all of them in the short-term but it is good to see that areas such as Fatima Mansions, Cherry Orchard and Ballymun which were deprived for decades are, within the lifetime of this Government, seeing major renewal programmes under whatever scheme.

I am sorry to see, as happened before when issues relating to deprived people or people with disabilities were the subject of Government cuts, the Taoiseach resort to attacking the management of an organisation like Enable Ireland which is doing tremendous work for people with disabilities. The Taoiseach wonders why other areas could not be cut. Maybe catering on the Government jet, the salary of one public relations consultant or the photographic service of which the four Ministers opposite avail could be cut. That would provide the €71,000 needed in this case.

That is more like it.

The Taoiseach cannot even remember the RAPID programme on which his candidates in the 45 deprived areas canvassed and which they sold coming up to the general election as the most major transformation and transfer of resources in the history of the State. The Taoiseach now presents it as if it was the fourth secret of Fatima. He drives by Fatima Mansions and vaguely remembers something he announced but no funding has been provided. Every day the Taoiseach's replies increasingly resemble something from the mad hatter's tea party. He is somehow trying to say there are plans and they are being funded. The Minister responsible, Deputy Ó Cuív, told this House in response to an Adjournment matter I raised, after his announce ment in Tallaght, that there is no funding available for RAPID.

Deputy Rabbitte, you have gone well over your minute. I ask you to resume your seat and allow the Taoiseach to reply.

That is the position and the contribution of the Government to areas of deprivation.

I am not attacking any organisation; I am just saying it is a pity that every time there is a difficulty in an area, the most vulnerable sections are always hit and it is played up to a great degree.

Exactly.

A detailed review of the activities of voluntary service providers in the physical and sensory disability sector is being carried out jointly by the Department of Health and Children and the health boards to look at staffing deficits with a view to the identification of the exact deficits in these areas. That is the way to try to deal with them. It is regrettable people do not go through those channels but try to spin issues publicly with a few politicians. That is not the way these issues should be dealt with. Enable Ireland is a good organisation which is trying to do a job and which should do it through the channels available which I am sure it is doing.

Interpreters please.

In relation to the RAPID programme, the fact is – this is the hard bit for Deputy Rabbitte to accept – that these schemes are being built.

They are not.

From where did the new houses in Fatima Mansions come?

That is not RAPID.

From where did the €250 million programme in Ballymun come? Is that not happening? Deputy Rabbitte comes into the House and says that is not happening and we are not to be believed.

The Taoiseach is winging it.

Allow the Taoiseach to proceed without interruption.

I suggest that the eminent journalists here today go to Tallaght and decide whether work is being done.

They do not know anything about it; they do not live in RAPID areas.

That the Deputy is on the airwaves saying nothing is being done does not change the fact work is being done. He is wrong and should be honest.