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In 2001, in an attempt to prioritise funding from the National
Development Plan towards identified areas of social and economic
deprivation, the Government created a community development
programme known as RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning,
Investment and Development). Twenty five urban areas identified
as having the greatest concentrations of socioeconomic disadvantage
in the country were designated RAPID areas, amongst which
was the south east Dublin city area - which includes Pearse
St. and Westland Row.
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As in other RAPID areas, a local Area Implementation Team
has been established, with a coordinator based in Dublin City
Council and with a membership consisting of five local community
representative as well as representatives from a range of
statutory services - including healthcare, education, housing,
policing and social services. Trinity College has been represented
on this Area Implementation Team by the Community Liaison
Officer since early 2002. While the flow of statutory funding
to the Dublin south east RAPID, as indeed to all RAPID areas,
has been somewhat disappointing,
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the Area Implementation Team has served a useful role in
coordinating and integrating local planning, and Trinity continues
to be actively represented on this team. For example, one
aspect of the local environment which impinges directly on
Trinity as well as on local residents and business people
in the vicinity is that of traffic; through the RAPID process,
there has been useful consultation with the Office of the
Director of Traffic at Dublin City Council, which has expressed
a willingness to explore how in the face of continued heavy
traffic Pearse St. can be made into a more pleasant and safe
environment for pedestrians.
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