Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Sherlock. There needs to be cross-Government thinking, and there has been. As part of the rural development policy I have engaged right across all of the Departments because everybody has an input into this policy. Local Link, which the Deputy mentioned, is one of the best rural transport initiatives that we have. Some of the local companies are really good at the joined-up thinking that we need. For example, in Cavan and Monaghan, with which I am familiar, there is an integration of the services, which includes providing transport for health services for people who need to go to hospital appointments and those going to college. There is a really good service in Cavan and Monaghan that links the two institutes which runs over and back five times a day. Students going to the local colleges can get transport, which did not happen before. The service has enhanced the local institutes of education. Deputy Sherlock is absolutely right about joined-up thinking. We need to do that. I assure him that I will be engaging with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, on that issue.

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