Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Minister has said there is no night time service in many rural areas. There is, in fact, no day service in many rural areas. I welcome this initiative. The Government gave an election commitment that this issue would receive priority if it was returned to office.

The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs is engaged in discussions with the HSE. We have a serious problem in that there is no public transport service in many parts of rural Ireland. The Government is focused on bringing services to the regions. However, many people, some in receipt of social welfare payments of only €189 or €200 per week, are unable to attend hospital appointments because of a lack of transport. They are given appointments in hospitals in Galway and north Mayo, some 140 miles away. They would be required to spend their total social welfare payment on a taxi to attend these appointments.

I have a meeting tomorrow with representatives of the HSE from which I received a letter last week stating it was engaged in discussions on the issue with the Minister and his Department. Perhaps he will outline for us what is happening. Can he assure the people concerned that he will put in place transport services to bring them to hospital appointments? A case is before the Ombudsman of a woman in serious ill-health who has not taken up a hospital appointment in a full year.

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