Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)

My concern is for people who are in isolated and remote areas of rural Ireland, away from the national primary and secondary routes and railway lines. At the moment, sub-post offices are closing. This will cause a transport problem for senior citizens or for people who are dependent upon social welfare. Old age pensioners and invalidity pensioners are entitled to free travel. Their free travel is no use to them unless they can access the routes. The rural transport initiative is there, but it needs to be greatly expanded. The Minister stated that it will be put on a permanent basis and that further resources will be invested.

However, given what was stated in that plan, was it not somewhat disingenuous for the Minister to paint it as a major breakthrough for rural Ireland? I refer to the people in such areas who require transport in order to collect pensions on a weekly basis, to socialise, to travel to and from towns or to keep hospital appointments where ambulance services or similar services are not available. With regard to such people, for whose welfare all Members, including the Minister, are concerned, were his comments in respect of Transport 21 on 1 November not completely out of context? Is it not misleading to give the impression that a brave new world is about to be created in terms of transport and transport communication for people in rural Ireland?

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