Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy again for his questions. The date in 2019 is not settled but it will be as soon as possible. I understand the urgency to which the Deputy refers. He should not ignore the fact that there has been a large attempt to address the issue of rural isolation he mentioned through funding for new Local Link services. The National Transport Authority, NTA, manages that programme. Increased funding has been provided, with €14.9 million allocated in 2018 and again in 2019. In addition, public service obligation, PSO, funding has been provided for Local Link regular services, which amounts to €4.5 million in 2018, bringing the total funding for Local Link services last year to €19.5 million. Total funding in 2019 will be almost €20 million. These represent significant increases. There will be new Local Link services. This increased funding has enabled the introduction of 66 new consumer services to the Local Link networks, operating five, six or seven days a week. Key features of these new services include greater integration with existing public transport services and better linkage of services between and within towns and villages. Two new regularly scheduled Local Link services are to be introduced in Carlow, Kilkenny and Wicklow. They are due to launch in the first half of 2019.

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