Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the money allocated to the rural transport programme and passenger numbers recorded for that programme in the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014 nationally; if he will provide this information on a county basis; if he will provide an update on the establishment of the transport co-ordination units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36786/14]

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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As the Minister is aware, the rural transport programme is a vitally important part of the lives of many people, particularly the elderly, children with a disability and many others. Can the Minister outline what have been the successes to date and what are the proposals, if any, for the years ahead?

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Funding for the rural transport programme, RTP, was €10.62 million, €9.79 million and €9.74 million in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, and has been €8.85 million to date in 2014. Total expenditure for 2014 is expected to be approximately €11.3 million, including one-off expenditures linked to the restructuring of the programme. Passenger journeys were 1.74 million, 1.73 million, 1.74 million and 1.14 million in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to the end of August 2014, respectively. The total numbers for 2014 are expected to be approximately 1.63 million. I will arrange for the National Transport Authority to send a breakdown of these figures on a county basis to the Deputy.

The Deputy will be aware that the RTP currently is being restructured in order to protect the provision of rural transport services into the future. The restructuring involves the establishment of 18 transport co-ordination units in place of the existing 35 RTP groups that have provided the service up to now, to reduce administrative costs and to maximise spending on the provision of services. Responsibility for management of the RTP was assigned to the National Transport Authority with effect from 1 April 2012. This includes responsibility for implementing the restructuring of the programme. I have referred the Deputy's question relating to an update on the establishment of the transport co-ordination units to the NTA for direct reply and I ask him to advise my office if he does not receive that reply within ten working days.

The Deputy should note that the rural transport programme is a high priority for me because of the area for which I now am responsible. I understand the difficulties and challenges that face people in rural Ireland, particularly those to whom the Deputy referred. It is very much a priority for me.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for these figures. While some of them are preliminary in nature - the usage figure for this year obviously must be extrapolated - from what the Minister of State has suggested, there has been an element of fall-off in usage. I suggest to her that this probably is in line with a fall-off in the funding and therefore, while I wish the Minister of State well in her new role, I urge her to fight the good fight, as it were, as the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, has done in respect of sports funding. He has continued to make the case today and does so on a regular basis. Now that there is a level of growth in the economy, I similarly encourage the Minister of State, who hopefully will get the support of backbenchers in both parties, to ensure that both the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, are in a position to give some additional funding to try to get the programme back to where it was, notwithstanding the cost savings that are being made. It is vitally important that the spread and diversity of effort be maintained because so many people still need this service, for whom the reach and the extensions are not available. It is vital, but it will require more money. I hope the Minister of State wins the battle.

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I thank Deputy Dooley and I assure him that, as stated previously, this is a priority for me. Protection of the budget is of course the priority for me, and this will be dealt with in the budgetary process. I believe the Deputy will find that towards the end of the year, passenger numbers will actually remain the same or increase slightly. However, I assure him that I already have met the National Transport Authority and have asked it to examine areas within the rural transport system and what vision exists for it, and to ascertain what other services the system could expand to encompass in the future. I intend to visit the Deputy's constituency in the near future and I assure him that I will listen not only to my own colleagues but to Members of the Opposition as well, because this can only have a positive effect on rural Ireland. Consequently, I certainly will take on board any suggestions the Deputy might have.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State and am delighted that it is her intention to visit Clare Accessible Transport. As she is aware, it was one of the founding organisations of the entire rural transport initiative. It has developed many new methodologies and has spearheaded many of the pilot programmes that have led to the development of the rural transport initiative as Members know it. I also welcome the Minister of State's indication that she intends to engage with the Opposition. That will be a new development for the other side of the House since its Members have gone into Government, because there have been quite a few instances-----

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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No.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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That is unfair.

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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If I may, there have been quite a few instances in which Ministers have attended events in constituencies and not invited all politicians. To the best of my knowledge, this did not happen under the previous Administration, as they attended any function of which I am aware. Moreover, the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, has done this himself. He visited County Clare to launch a bus service and was surrounded by all the Fine Gael and some of the Labour Party supporters. However, no invitation was issued to any county councillors or indeed to me as the lone Opposition Member in the county. Perhaps there is a lesson to be learnt in this regard.

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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That is fair enough.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Minister of State have a further response to make?

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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No, other than to state that I certainly take on board what the Deputy has said. I assure the Deputy that I am highly committed to the rural transport system. In my previous life as a county councillor, I was on the board, as were my other colleagues, and it is an area in which I have a particular interest. I assure the Deputy that this will be my priority.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Questions Nos. 8 and 9 are in the name of Deputy Halligan, who is not present in the Chamber. We will proceed to Question No. 10 in the name of Deputy McLellan.