Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Like the previous speakers, I am an enthusiastic supporter of rural transport. I know the Minister of State is as well. He has visited my constituency to see the work of Clare Accessible Transport, which is one of the most successful community transport companies in the country. It was founded in 2003 and its headquarters are in Feakle. It provides a network of bus routes that are available to everyone in the community. Priority is given to people who do not have access to their own transport. I consider its work to be invaluable for the rural community it serves.

The benefits provided by Clare Accessible Transport have already been alluded to. It has its own fleet of buses, which were acquired at no cost to the State. Unlike many other fleets around the country, the Clare Accessible Transport fleet is specially designed. Its low-floor buses can accommodate wheelchairs. We are not talking about the addition of a hoist at the back of a normal minibus. As these buses are specially designed, their acquisition came at a particular expense. The service provided by Clare Accessible Transport is open to everybody. It is not confined to certain sections of the community. Ministers could avail of the service if they needed to go to Ennis from many parts of County Clare. It is a door-to-door service.

I am concerned that Clare Accessible Transport's particularly sophisticated dispatch system could be threatened by the proposals which have been leaked. I appreciate that the proposals were in draft form when they were leaked. It is particularly unfortunate that they were leaked. I suspect that they were leaked to frighten people, perhaps as part of a political agenda. The reality is that they have caused a great deal of fear in rural communities. People in such communities have come to rely on these valuable rural transport services to get to HSE appointments and to get around rural Ireland.

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