Ms Margaret Malone:

A few questions were asked about Local Link, some of which I will now address. The first issue was the re-tendering of the programme. The current four-year programme has been in existence since 2014 and expires at the end of December 2018 and consequently, we will be looking at the next stage from 2019 to 2022. In 2013-14, there was a closed call for applications. It was not an open procurement process for a variety of reasons. A number of groups tendered for the call and 17 transport co-ordination units, TCUs are now in existence with the brand name of Local Link. We have been getting legal and procurement advice this time around and it looks as if we must go through a formal tendering process this time around to comply with both EU and Irish procurement legislation. I accept there is a degree of anxiety and nervousness about what the process might be, who will come through the process and how it will reflect and take on board the amount of good work undertaken by the existing Local Link groups for the past number of years. As we are still working on what that process will look like, we have not yet gone out to the groups to formally advise them what the procurement process will be. We aim to be in a position to do that probably by the end of April. We will then make sure there are any number of meetings, sessions and briefings to address concerns and will have a number of question-and-answer sessions around the country in order that everybody is very clear about what the procurement process will be. In terms of complying with the legislation, we are looking at a request for tender process - an open procurement process.

Regarding the question on maps and whether access to mapping is not of as high a standard as it should be, I accept that. We have had issues with our system for the rural transport programme, which is called the integrated transport management system, ITMS. It has had some issues over the past number of years but I am happy to say it is in a much better place now than it has been. Much investment, time and resources has gone into trying to resolve some of the outstanding issues. As of this morning, before I left the office, I checked and the mapping functionality is up and running again. There has been a delay there that has hindered the ability of some groups to design their routes and services. In a more long-term way, we intend to integrate the ITMS more formally with the authority's other systems in order that ultimately, the Local Link groups will be able to access the same mapping information and the same layering of information the authority uses to inform all of its other planning processes. Consequently, we are working in that direction.

As for addressing social exclusion and making sure the programme does not lose sight of where it started from, the rural transport programme was initiated back in the 2000s. It formed out of a need to address rural social exclusion and that has been a basic tenet of the programme all the way through. We are moving into an era where we are taking on board more regular high-frequency commuter-type services and running them through the rural transport programme but there is no avoiding or walking away from the needs and responsibilities that arise from a rural social exclusion point of view. Members will see that a large number of actions throughout the strategy we will circulate shortly are designed around addressing rural social exclusion in particular.