Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The rural bus link is a positive idea. This is a pilot programme, and I am informed, to quote my sources, by Deputy Michael Collins that there are two links in the pilot programme in County Cork. If there were to be a comprehensive service for the county, the Deputy believes that 35 to 40 routes would be required, which is approximately 20 times what is available under the pilot scheme. Those 35 or 40 routes cannot be put on a pilot programme, but if it is successful, if indeed it does combat rural isolation and the service is rolled out to as many people as possible, there will be a big expansion of the programme.

The Minister mentioned that the cost of the pilot is €450,000. Five of the 17 areas have not made applications and are not part of the programme yet. If this is going to be an effective service for significant numbers of people in rural Ireland, a year after the pilot programme the price could spiral to €10 million, €15 million or perhaps more. The NTA has not received extra funding for the pilot programme. The Minister said that there was no additional charge to the Exchequer. It could not reasonably be expected to go beyond the pilot programme from within its own resources. Will the Minister indicate what his position will be in terms of extra funding for next year or the year after if the pilot programme is successful to roll out the programme to the maximum number of communities?