Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their excellent and very informative presentations. The provision of public transport services is extremely important in the context of the environment and the reduction of our carbon footprint. The more public transport services we have, the less dependence we have on cars to get to work or various services and appointments. Fitting that in is the important thing. I come from a very rural area and the rural transport programme is one of the most important programmes operated by the NTA. I urge that additional resources are provided to ensure that the expansion of a sustainable rural transport programme across rural towns and villages is achievable. I acknowledge we cannot have it in every corner and every place we would wish but it is extremely important. I and my colleagues support the provision of important financial resources by way of subvention to enable Bus Éireann to provide a maximum level of coverage across rural areas. It is an essential service. The big drawback is when people have a service and only a small number of people use it, it is withdrawn fairly sharply. I understand the economic situation and valuation that has to be done on that but it has a significant impact on people.

School transport is extremely important. It is an issue Ms Graham or Mr. Hernan might not want to talk about. Eligibility criteria have to be reviewed and re-evaluated in the context of current demand and the current situation. It is outmoded. Deputy Michael Collins is correct. When we talk about the nearest point, it seems to be the nearest point as the crow flies, which is an awfully silly method of evaluation. Unless a young lad or young girl gets wings, he or she cannot go the way the crow flies. I have had huge battles over the years on this issue. I am in a rural area and know it very well. There would be 0.2 km in the difference but they almost want people to go across the hedges, ditches and the walls to get there. People are used to going to a place but are deprived of the opportunity of getting to the school because the other school is in the catchment area. It has to be reviewed taking a common-sense approach. The Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, was probably looking at that but I hope the NTA is too. Bus Éireann will come back and say it will do whatever it is directed to do, which is grand and dandy, but does not butter any parsnips for people who have been deprived of the service as a result of rigorous bureaucratic evaluations of things. It has to be looked at.

The expansion of the local night services, which I welcome, is extremely important in combatting rural isolation. The significance of rural isolation has been referred to in recent reports. Very often, people can live close to other people but still feel isolated because they cannot get into the local village to meet people and talk about the various issues of the day. Have there been applications from the Longford and Westmeath areas as part of the extended application deadline? A very good service is being provided there by Noel McCormack and I expect that that service has reapplied.

Mullingar is a town of 24,000 people. I come from close to it. A town service is absolutely vital and I am glad to see it included as part of the expansion programme for the current year. I appreciate resources are always a constraining factor, I do not live in an ivory tower, but it is an important strategic town at the centre of the country. It should not have been put on the long finger for so long. We are delighted to see Athlone getting an enhanced service in the past 12 months or so but we want to see that service put in place for Mullingar. They are of similar size and as Mullingar is the administrative capital of Westmeath, it is important that it is put in place. I want to emphasise and promote that and ask that it would be done as quickly as possible. It is very important.

The bus service is excellent. Buses are becoming more comfortable and I note Bus Éireann intends to upgrade is fleet. That is great. I hope the NTA continues with that because it is important. A lot of people who use buses to go to work use their laptops to do work and they want Wi-Fi. We have to modernise to meet the demands of the consumer who is always right. As that is important, continuing that operation will be important.

In the past, trying to get bus shelters in place was one of the greatest curses. I am sure my colleagues share that opinion. I remember trying to get a bus shelter for the Downs outside Mullingar on the N4 for people travelling to Dublin. If the IDA and Enterprise Ireland paid more attention to Mullingar, we would not have so many people migrating on the bus services or trains. We are where we are, as they say. Hopefully the IDA will redouble its efforts in Mullingar industrial park and get industry in. Trying to get a bus shelter was an issue in areas such as Ballinalack and Rathowen where people would travel either west or east, depending on where they were going. The National Transport Authority will probably be able to deal with that now as there is more integration. A few years ago, people would win the lottery more quickly than they would get a bus shelter. Bus shelters are important because people like convenience and accommodation. The last thing one wants to do is step onto a bus to go to work or school having been drowned by heavy showers.

Wheelchair accessibility is important. I acknowledge what Mr. Hernan just said about 85% of the fleet. I am sure all the new fleet will accommodate wheelchairs. It is extremely important. We must be inclusive and ensure there is maximum availability for all people. I support Bus Éireann very strongly. It was an easy target for many years but it provided a lifeline to many rural areas. Unfortunately when the financial recession hit, it was impacted heavily and withdrew a number of services probably because the services were not paying. One cannot speak out of both sides of one's mouth. I do not mind paying extra tax to provide the necessary subvention for Bus Éireann and public transport services in order that they can provide services in rural areas and other places like that.

We cannot have our loaf and eat it. We must provide the money, and that comes from taxation or borrowing, although probably less from borrowing. If we have to do that, then that is what we have to do but we cannot be roaring and looking for services. There is a lot of duplication around. A person looks for additional services and then says that additional money will not be provided. Some want additional services and lower taxation. It does not work like that.

I thank the witnesses for their presentations and look forward to their replies.