Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)

I am not satisfied that we are getting the kind of value we might be able to achieve if the system had more integration. That is why we have initiated some of the projects being discussed. There was one in operation for a while with the HSE in Cork as well. We should be able to get better value for money and that is the reason those projects have been put in place. It is also the reason I asked Bus Éireann, the Department of Education and Skills, the HSE and my Department to try to formulate a better integrated system.

We can do better on rural transport, and the Deputy is probably aware that there are a number of voluntary groups with their own transport which may be integrated into the process. I have asked groups and officials from my Department to engage with the National Transport Authority to see if this can be pulled together to reduce costs generally in the system while improving the service at the same time.

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