Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I agree with Deputy Broughan that it is an important area of transport policy. It is also an important area of social policy, including social inclusion policy, and local community policy. I do not agree with him — it would not be strange for us to disagree on something or other — that the amount in question is derisory. We put the scheme in place as a pilot scheme to see how well it would work. Very often we are criticised for proceeding with grandiose schemes without first putting in place pilot schemes to determine whether they work in practice. The scheme in question is progressing well. I referred to the allocation of an additional €2 million this year, amounting to a total allocation of €11 million, the allocation of €9 million in 2007, €6 million in 2006 and €5 million in 2005. The scheme is progressing in a very staged way and we are committed to it. I hope, notwithstanding the financial difficulties we face, that we will continue to commit to it because I agree with the Deputy that it is extremely important.

On the question of the night-time rural scheme, my answer is probably the same. It is important that we determine how well it works. Many of the rural transport projects fit neatly together and this is important. I am not sure I agree with the Deputy that we should ask CIE, or Bus Éireann specifically, to start devising some scheme for a national network. This is not to say anything against CIE because it has its own job to do.

One of the strengths of the rural transport programme is that it involves local groups that know their local communities' needs.

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