Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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55. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to address the challenges that rural communities are facing in relation to increased costs with transport. [10553/24]

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister address the challenges rural communities are facing in relation to increased costs in transport?

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Transport is responsible for rural transport policy and programmes and the National Transport Authority has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for the scheduling of these services. Notwithstanding this, I acknowledge the vital importance of transport services for rural communities. Accordingly, the Department has ensured the inclusion of relevant actions in Our Rural Future, the whole-of-government policy for rural development, and Our Living Islands, the ten-year policy for our off-shore islands.

In its 2023 end of year report to my Department, the Department of Transport has confirmed that since mid-2022, over 190 towns and villages have been connected to the public transport network, and over 280,000 people have access to new and enhanced bus services under the connecting Ireland rural mobility plan. Public transport fares have been reduced by an average of 20% across all Transport for Ireland services. This took place in 2022 and the most recent budget ensured these reductions could be continued in 2024. The number of journeys taken continues to grow in line with the expansion of services and in the context of these fare reductions.

My Department will continue to monitor delivery of all actions assigned under Our Rural Future. In June 2023, my Department published Ireland's ten-year island policy, Our Living Islands. The policy recognises that reliable, affordable, year-round transport services are essential for the sustainability of our island communities. My Department currently subsidises a suite of transport services for 19 separate offshore islands. For example, in 2022, the most recent full year figures available to my Department, more than 498,317 people used the subsidised ferry services to our offshore islands. Over the last six years, despite the rising costs faced by the transport sector, my Department has ensured that there were no fare increases for the majority of island services. My Department will continue to support these transport services which provide a vital link for communities on our offshore islands.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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While acknowledging that, the Government should also acknowledge that rural communities face increases in costs and a fairly patchy, unintegrated rural network that is not accessible or a flexible. It is important to develop initiatives and resource areas that are further from the major urban areas and improve and expand public services in remote rural areas. The additional money required to achieve the minimum essential standard of living ranges from an estimated €142 a week for rural couples with younger children to €197 per week for rural couples with children at primary and second level age.

According to the latest MESL figures from the Vincentian research centre, higher costs relate to household energy, transport and fuel, and these costs have increased significantly. I ask again if the Minister of State would consider this and look at the increased costs for people in rural areas.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I point out that the Local Link services have accelerated in their expansion and reach, in particular over the past couple of years. Figures from the Department of Transport show that numbers taking Local Link services have shot up by more than 360% between 2020 and 2023. It was a particular commitment in the programme for Government that we would triple the use of Local Link. I was part of negotiating it myself. I am glad to see we have overshot our target there as well. There are a huge number of Local Link services opening, at an average of approximately one per week. That pace is accelerating. Last December was the busiest for new openings. We have 20 new and enhanced bus services implemented connecting towns and villages in counties Galway, Mayo, Waterford, Kerry, Sligo and Cavan. I know the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, wants to accelerate that more so the Local Link service is available to everyone in rural Ireland.