Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I acknowledge the Minister's response to the Fine Gael motion and add my voice to the many from all sides of the Chamber which argued for the retention of the rural transport scheme. There is great concern about proposed cuts in the bord snip report, especially in the rural communities we represent. Every Senator in the House as I look around it has a large rural hinterland in his or her constituency served by rural transport links.

I acknowledge that the Government and its predecessors have built up this infrastructure in rural Ireland over the past number of years. It would be a great shame at this stage of the development of this infrastructure to diminish it in any way. Bus Éireann, due to budgetary constraints, has already had to cut services from rural areas; Lismore in west Waterford, where I come from, is being affected in that way.

I am also concerned that some of the Government policies and soundings we have heard of late are anti-rural. The Minister of State mentioned the planning and development Bill earlier and there are proposals in it for integration in transport, although it does not specifically mention rural areas. It is really about new developments in our towns, cities and villages, whereas what we are talking about with regard to rural transport is the isolated rural areas in many of counties. They are the real connections to communities, villages and services for many elderly and isolated people. They are also a benefit to the small shops or post offices in those villages.

I add my voice to those who have argued for the retention of the service. We cannot afford to abandon rural Ireland or our rural people. I appeal to Senators, Deputies and anybody else with great or small influence to act on this. All of us should protect what little infrastructure rural dwellers have; it should be developed rather than cut.