Presidential Seal of Approval Given to Drogheda Rapid Programme

The President of Ireland was a special guest to Drogheda on Friday 30th October where she was given the opportunity to visit and see some of the work done by Valerie Artherton, RAPID Co-ordinator and her team.

Valerie was delighted with the visit and with the praise lavished by the President on all the good work that the rapid programme has done in the town.

"President McAleese celebrated with us the work that RAPID has done and she visited some of the projects we have done such as the Grove Early Years Centre and the Holy Family Community Centre in Ballsgrove. she also saw a lot of the other work that has been done across the town, such as the wonderful childcare facility in Moneymore.

The president was impressed with the wide range of areas that the RAPID programme has helped with and that she expressed her respect for what has been achieved and good work that is ongoing."

The RAPID programme is a government initiative which targets the most disadvantaged areas in the country. The programme aims to ensure that priority attention is given to the designated areas by focusing state resources available under the National Development Plan. The programme also requires the government departments and state agencies to bring about better co-ordination and closer integration in the delivery of services. It works with residents to see what needs they have and responds.