Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)

This question relates to proposals for integrated rural transport. Following a Government decision last January I allocated responsibility for the rural transport programme, RTP, and for the integration agenda to the National Transport Authority, NTA. I also announced the establishment of the national integrated rural transport committee, NIRTC, chaired by the NTA to oversee a more focused and coherent approach to the integration of local and rural transport. The committee is drawn from organisations representing key stakeholders including rural transport groups, Bus Éireann, the HSE, Pobal, local authorities and policy makers from relevant Departments.

At its meeting last Friday, the committee established sub-groups to examine four key areas including health related transport services; schools transport service integration; logistics such as trip-booking systems, ticketing and information; and appropriate structures to support integration, including the key role of local authorities. These groups will involve other stakeholders in their work and will seek input from appropriate sources.

The NTA, in conjunction with the committee, will manage a partnership approach to implementing integrated local and rural transport in order to achieve greater synergies, meet identified transport needs and deliver value for money for the Exchequer. A key to progressing this agenda is the decision to develop proposals for a number of model areas. These model areas will, with an evidence based approach, test how integrated local and rural transport services can best operate and how savings can be achieved across the various transport services. The outcome of the model areas will inform the wider national roll out of integrated rural transport services on an incremental basis. The NTA, in conjunction with the committee, will select the models and submit them to me for approval. I expect to announce these in the near future.

This new approach, which is endorsed by the Government, is the first time that a national focus and coherence has been brought to the delivery on an integrated rural transport service. This reflects the importance that the Government attaches to the contribution that a carefully designed and efficient rural transport service based on local needs will make to overcoming social exclusion in rural areas.

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