Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount of money allocated to community transport schemes in the past three years; the amount of money allocated to such schemes in 2008; if he will increase the range and quantity of such schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18823/08]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will ensure, with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, that the rural transport project is funded on a less [i]ad hoc[/i] and temporary basis; if he has plans to introduce a more comprehensive rural transport scheme; when the pilot cross-Border rural community transport scheme will be initiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23319/08]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount his Department has spent on the rural transport initiative since 2007; his projected spending for this initiative up to 2013; the plans he has to expand this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22714/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 70, 134 and 413 together.

The rural transport programme, RTP, administered on behalf of my Department by Pobal, put the pilot Rural Transport Initiative 2002-2006 on a permanent basis from February 2007. Reflecting the Government's intent for the programmed development of rural transport, Towards 2016 provides for increases in the annual RTP allocation over time to about €18 million and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 commits €90 million to the programme over its full term.

My Department provided €4.5 million for the pilot rural transport initiative in 2005 and €5.1million in 2006. In 2007 €9 million was provided for the new rural transport programme and €11 million is being provided for the programme in 2008. This additional funding is delivering greater frequency of existing services, much wider geographical coverage, and additional groups of passengers accessing rural transport.

Funding is also available to the RTP from the Department of Social and Family Affairs in respect of the free travel scheme. I understand that €750,000 was made available to the RTP in 2005, €850,000 in 2006 and €1.5 million in 2007. I am informed that the 2008 allocation is €1.5 million.

I understand from the Department of Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs that its night-time rural transport scheme, which is also administered by Pobal, was set up in May 2007 on a pilot basis for one year. However, the scheme has now been extended to end 2008 at which stage it will be reviewed. I am informed that the initial commitment for the pilot year was €500,000 and that a further €360,000 has now been committed. The local groups involved with the night-time scheme are also rural transport programme groups. Their involvement, together with Pobal's, in both schemes ensure an integrated approach in areas where the two schemes are operating.

Preparations for a pilot cross-Border rural community transport exercise in counties Fermanagh, Tyrone and Cavan under the auspices of the North-South Ministerial Council are progressing with a view to commencing the pilot service towards end 2008.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Does the Minister agree that the funding provided for rural transport up to a year or two ago was absolutely derisory? The amount is still incredibly small given the number of projects that could be supported.

We have heard presentations at the Joint Committee on Transport, such as that of OK Community Transport, which covers Offaly and Kildare. The Minister is supporting groups in west Cork and the Meath Accessible Transport Project, in addition to groups in Kilnaleck, Sligo, Donegal, and Laois. Given that there is considerable interest in the programme, is the response from Government not derisory? The Minister referred to the evening rural transport scheme. Could he not establish it on a permanent basis?

Do the problems associated with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs not constitute the other side to the debate on trying to support rural communities? Would the Minister consider having a national system of targets to increase service provision such that an increasing number of rural householders would be within a tenminute walk of an hourly or even more frequent bus service, as in the United Kingdom? Will he ask CIE and Bus Éireann to devise, with local service providers, a national network including every town and townland in an effort to provide the national public service network to which we are all entitled, regardless of where we live, be it at the tip of the Beara peninsula or just outside this House? Is this area of his portfolio not important enough for him to take very significant action?

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I agree with Deputy Broughan that it is an important area of transport policy. It is also an important area of social policy, including social inclusion policy, and local community policy. I do not agree with him — it would not be strange for us to disagree on something or other — that the amount in question is derisory. We put the scheme in place as a pilot scheme to see how well it would work. Very often we are criticised for proceeding with grandiose schemes without first putting in place pilot schemes to determine whether they work in practice. The scheme in question is progressing well. I referred to the allocation of an additional €2 million this year, amounting to a total allocation of €11 million, the allocation of €9 million in 2007, €6 million in 2006 and €5 million in 2005. The scheme is progressing in a very staged way and we are committed to it. I hope, notwithstanding the financial difficulties we face, that we will continue to commit to it because I agree with the Deputy that it is extremely important.

On the question of the night-time rural scheme, my answer is probably the same. It is important that we determine how well it works. Many of the rural transport projects fit neatly together and this is important. I am not sure I agree with the Deputy that we should ask CIE, or Bus Éireann specifically, to start devising some scheme for a national network. This is not to say anything against CIE because it has its own job to do.

One of the strengths of the rural transport programme is that it involves local groups that know their local communities' needs.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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The leadership is not as good in some areas as it is in others.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that, but if the operational decisions were decided in Dublin by Bus Éireann, or in Mitchelstown, good decisions would not be made either. Doing so would introduce rigidities to the system that would not be good. I know the Deputy is suggesting that the overall network might be good but this might defeat the purpose of what we are talking about.

I would like to see further liaison between local groups and the HSE at local level. This could be very helpful to the rural transport programme. The HSE has a considerable budget for transporting people to hospitals, etc., and there have been very successful pilot schemes in respect of the rural transport programme in conjunction with specific hospitals. This is one area in which I would like to encourage development.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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I welcome this debate. There are two important aspects thereto, the first of which concerns people travelling to and from work. In this regard, consider the unofficial, illegal park-and-ride facilities at Kilmoon Cross or at the motorway outside Drogheda, or at any of the areas where rural roads meet the motorways. It is very much part of transport policy to encourage people to leave their cars at home or not to bring them into the cities, if possible. Is it worth the Minister's while considering, with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the construction of properly equipped park-and-ride facilities, particularly in the counties around Dublin where unofficial facilities are being used?

The second aspect of the debate concerns drink driving. If we are to reduce the amount of alcohol people can have, the Minister should consider initiatives under the rural transport scheme whereby the local publican can be assisted, by way of VAT refunds or other measures, in purchasing a people carrier to drive customers home. We should allow for new ways to sustain rural life. The criticism we hear around the country is that rural life is changing rapidly and that the old way of life is changing even more rapidly. The provision of rural transport, particularly to and from places of recreation at night, should be reconsidered.

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I will ask officials in my Department to talk to those in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government about that point. There is considerable merit in trying to use the rural transport system to link up to major arteries and other routes, and to the public transport system. It is not possible to put buses on every single route. We will consider the advocated approach in respect of the rural transport projects.

On the Deputy's suggestion on the night service, the night-time rural transport scheme can form part of the review of the service. The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has been operating it on a pilot basis. It will review it at the end of the year and that will certainly be useful.