Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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74. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the ongoing plans within his Department that exist to address the continuing challenges that communities in rural areas face with the cost of, and accessing transport services; if it will be included in a new future development strategy for rural Ireland to replace Our Rural Future; his plans for such a new strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14916/25]

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I ask the Minister and Minister of State about the ongoing plans in the Department about the continuing challenges facing communities in rural areas such as the cost of and in accessing transport services. Are those plans are included in new future development for Our Rural Future, as presented by the Government? Will the Minister of State make a statement on the matter?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Wall for the question and congratulate him on his election. I look forward to working with him again as we did in Seanad Éireann. He has always been a champion of transport and the Kildare-Dublin axis, and I look forward to working with him in that regard.

Our Rural Future, Ireland's national rural development policy was launched in 2021, following an extensive period of consultation which ensured that the policy prioritised responses to the needs identified by stakeholders and the public. Prominent among these was access to public transport services in rural areas, particularly among our young people and vulnerable members of our community or those at risk of social isolation. Measures addressing this issue were a key component of Our Rural Future and reflected the Government's strong commitment to improving rural transport connectivity.

The Department of Transport's connecting Ireland rural mobility plan has delivered real and lasting benefits to rural communities in recent years. For example, more than 145 service improvements have been introduced since 2022, meaning approximately 600,000 people now have access to new or enhanced bus services. Reduced fare initiatives have also been introduced, particularly for young people, and the 90-minute fare has been extended to the end of 2025.

These improvements have been welcomed across rural Ireland but we understand there is more to be done. Our most recent engagements with rural citizens suggest that transport services remain among the biggest issues for these communities. That is probably why Government decided to make me the first Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for rural transport. The programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a new our rural future policy from 2026. I am pleased to say that the process of developing this next phase of rural policy has already begun. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, recently launched an online survey to support the development of the new policy. Further stages of public consultation will follow over the coming months, which the Minister, Deputy Calleary, will outline in due course. I have no doubt that, following these engagements, our next rural future policy will again reflect the importance of access to transport services to rural communities. I look forward to working with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to ensure that the new rural development policy from next year will build on the progress we have made to date under Our Rural Future.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming in today and for his kind words. I look forward to working with him as we did previously in the Seanad. I welcome that Deputy Buttimer is the new Minister of State with responsibility for rural transport, because one of the issues which we discussed before was the M7, which was unfortunately a car park again this morning. I hope we can develop that idea.

An Indecon report on rural transport was written in the past year. I believe it is with the Minister of State at the moment. I would like to know the status of that. I put on the record again the difference that Local Link makes. My Kildare-south Dublin Local Link is a tremendous service. It has been a life-changer for many people. There are issues with developing and linking it, particularly with school transport. I believe that Local Link and school transport should act together and provide that service for those who are living in rural Ireland and the villages that need it. Will the Minister of State comment on that in his reply?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I will come back to the Deputy on the Indecon report. I do not have that information to hand. He is right about the M7 and the N40 in Cork. There is a need for all stakeholders to engage properly to see how we can make that a better thoroughfare for motorists and all road users. As the Deputy said, supporting rural Ireland is a priority for Government. Over the last number of years, we have seen 30 projects in the rural development fund for 2024, with €164 million. There was €20 million for 82 town and village renewal scheme projects in April last year. There is €100 million, as the Minister said, in the community recognition fund. There is €109 million in the community centre investment fund. Money is being expended in rural Ireland. As we have said already, it is about connectivity and about ensuring that people have access to travel. We have reduced fares and made public transport accessible. I met the former Minister, Alan Dukes, about Kildare transport. It is a wonderful scheme. I look forward to working with Deputy Wall and others. That scheme is probably an exemplar for other schemes across the country. I will come back to the Deputy about the Indecon report.

Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I think it is important to mention a few Local Link services. The 883 service has been a game-changer for many people in my home town, Athy. It links them in and allows them to get employment in the likes of Kildare Village and Newbridge. It is a game-changer and it should be expanded. One of the issues is for the village of Nurney, which does not have a Sunday service, because that link has no Sunday service. That will be a game-changer for villages which have been isolated, as the Minister of State said, and need the links. The Government has expanded the 880 service and it has made a difference. There is no doubt, throughout rural Ireland, that Local Link is making a difference. School transport and seven-day Local Link services are badly needed. I ask the Minister of State to go back and look at this once again.

I mentioned the village of Suncroft before. We have been waiting on a service there. I am working with the local manager, Alan Kerry, to provide that service. The village of Suncroft has no direct services to the towns of Kildare and Newbridge. It is badly needed. I will continue to work with the NTA. The Minister of State might speak to the local services and the NTA about the village of Suncroft. I appreciate the Minister of State's replies.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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I raise the 215 Blarney bus. The 215 Blarney bus goes from Mahon Point to Blarney. The Minister of State can appreciate it is coming from Mahon Point and through the city, so the timing is quite difficult. I want to make the Minister of State aware of it. I know the Minister of State will not have any answers on that. Will he look into it?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I will respond to Deputy Wall first. As he know, Connecting Ireland's rural mobility plan has been a huge success, with 145 new or enhanced services since it began. A total of 240 towns and villages have been connected with, for example, 61 connections to healthcare facilities, 41 higher education facilities and 71 rail services. A total of 600,000 people have access to new and enhanced bus services. In Deputy Wall's county, Kildare, with his constituency being Kildare South, we have seen increased Local Link services, including between Athy and Kilkenny since December last year, the Newbridge to Dunlavin and Kilcullen route which was enhanced in May last year, and since January last year, we have seven daily return services from Naas to Carlow. I take the Deputy's point about the area of Suncroft. I will work with him and Local Link. As I said, I met Alan Dukes recently. It is a phenomenal service, providing great access for people.

Deputy Kenny raised the issue of the 215 Blarney route. It has been raised before. Passengers numbers have increased exponentially on the route. We have spoken with Bus Éireann and the NTA about it. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on the Deputy's behalf on that.

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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For the information of Members present, we cannot take supplementary questions on priority questions. Apologies to Members.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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I thank the Chair.