Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I propose taking Questions Nos. 82, 98, 114 and 116 together.

As the Deputy is aware, in many rural areas, there are no public transport services at night. While there are, in the more developed rural areas, either hackney or taxi services, these are at the discretion of the providers of these services and do not provide a guaranteed service to rural people.

It was against this background, therefore, that in May 2007 I introduced a new evening transport service, on a pilot basis, to allow rural people to fully participate in the various activities, community, sporting and social, that take place in their areas. Seven groups are currently delivering the pilot evening transport service.

A review of the pilot scheme is about to get under way and it is anticipated this will be completed in January 2009. In the interim, funding will be provided, pending the outcome of the review and my response to recommendations arising.

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