Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

——when it comes to that. If we look at it logically, I have responsibility for rural affairs, all the deprived areas through the RAPID programme and so on. One could hardly find an area in which my Department, because of its geographic remit, does not have an input. If the Government had not made the mainframe decisions, intensive discussions would probably be taking place between my Department and the Department of Transport but as I said in my reply, we are mainstreaming the service. We are also providing a good deal of extra money. I do not need to highlight for the Minister for Transport, who represents a rural constituency, the various issues, some of which the Deputy has mentioned. I have no doubt that with the extra funding he will try to ensure that as many areas as possible are covered but having made the major decision I must now give him space to work out the minor details. I am sure the Deputy will welcome the fact that it is now mainstreamed and that there is more money for the rural transport scheme. As he is aware, I am very anxious that these schemes operate as far as possible through existing organisations that are expanding to ensure we do not keep reinventing the wheel and that we get economies of scale. I understand in some areas the rural social scheme, for example, has been used. I am in favour of those innovative solutions but it is fundamentally an issue for the Minister for Transport. The major decisions have been made. I do not need to remake them for him.

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