Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein)

Fearaim céad fáilte roimh an Aire. Is iontach an rud go bhfuil na comhráití seo ar siúl inniu faoin ábhar seo mar is ábhar an-tábhachtach é. Mar dhuine a chaith roinnt blianta ar bhord Bealach, an clár taistil tuaithe i gConamara, tá tuiscint agam ar na ceisteanna seo. Tá siad an-tábhachtach agus tá sé fíor-thábachtach go mbéadh muid á bplé i gcomhthéacs níos leithne.

I welcome the Minister of State. As someone who has spent a number of years on the board of Bealach, the Connemara rural transport initiative, I understand many of the issues he has raised and agree with much of what he is trying to do. However, this debate must be taken in a broader context, as it has to do with accessibility to areas rather than just the rural transport programme.

In recent years there have been serious cutbacks in, for example, the HSE's transport system for bringing people to hospitals. School transport services were cut recently. As Senator Brennan alluded, Bus Éireann's services in rural areas are also being cut. I do not have sympathy for Bus Éireann, which used a model that was unfair to people living in rural areas to reduce their services based on what the company would call economic arguments. As Senator Moloney mentioned, the cost of travelling on those services was sometimes prohibitive. Neither did the timetabling of the services suit people who wanted to use them. Sinn Féin will fight against any cutbacks in rural transport services provided by Bus Éireann or others, since transport is just as much the right of people in a rural area as it is of people in an urban area, in that people have a right to get around the area.

The broader context incorporates connectivity. When the board of Bealach tried to discuss a timetabling change with Bus Éireann, we always ran into a brick wall. In many cases, ministerial permission was required to change a timetable. For example, city services experienced this problem. Trying to get from my area of Carna in the back of Connemara to Dublin can be a nightmare. I experienced it two days ago when I tried to travel from Leinster House to Letterfrack. I was fine until I hit Galway city, but trying to get through the city and the rest of the journey was a nightmare. Successive Governments have failed to create a public transport system with sufficient connectivity to allow people to enter and leave rural areas, probably because the system is scattered across various agencies and Departments. I welcome the Government's initiative to try to connect some of these services.

I am disappointed the Government did not take this opportunity to increase funding for rural transport. It is imperative that services be increased. While I was on the board of Bealach, we were lean, mean and very keen. The Minister of State referred to the cost of servicing the scheme. If one is considering cutting back and making efficiencies, I hope this is not done at local level which was efficient and tight in its administration. I am unsure whether there is fat further up the system. If there is, I am sure the Minister of State will address it.

Bealach was always inundated with applications and we never had enough money to service every group that required it. I am not just referring to older people, but also to young people attending sports events and youth clubs and to people who were travelling between villages and trying to connect with other services.

The last cut saw a reduction from €11 million to €10.62 million. The difference equates to half the pension recently paid to a senior civil servant. How many could have been serviced through the use of that money or an even larger sum? We are told repeatedly that we must make cutbacks and tighten our belts. The Government is tightening its belt in some respects but not in others, and it is unfair that this money is not being spent on rural transport and the like.

When we tried to integrate local services, we encountered a number of issues that have not been mentioned. Buses travel the same routes at the same times servicing various people attending disability services, school, work and so on, but insurance and child protection become issues when one tries to get people to travel on the same buses. When we tried to integrate services and get people to travel on the same buses, we found that safety issues arose where people with disability travel with members of the general public. A minder would also be required to travel with the disabled person. There are related insurance issues. I am sure this matter needs to be raised with the industry. I agree with the Minister of State that if a number of buses travel on the same route, we should try to integrate the services to avoid duplication.

We should consider the Scottish example. The Royal Mail married its transport and postal system so that postmen in many of Scotland's rural areas deliver the post and provide bus services. Since we should shore up our postal service, especially in rural areas, considering a Scottish-style service might help.

Investment in infrastructure is an issue. A part of our problem is the time required to go from A to B in rural areas. In Connemara, for example, the N59 needs to be upgraded. We also need a new road from Galway city to Screeb if people are to get from rural areas into the city and onwards. We need the outer bypass of Galway city so that people can travel beyond. I am sure similar issues exist in every rural area. Sadly, we do not have this type of connectivity.

Other elements are important. For example, the needs of the people with a disability was an issue raised recently with me. In many cases, Bus Éireann must leave people on the side of the road, for example, the Galway-Carraroe road, because it does not have wheelchair accessible buses available. People in rural south Connemara who are disabled do not have access to Bus Éireann's buses because we do not have footpaths. This is a serious issue for them.

We must connect with the offshore islands. For example, a disabled person cannot travel from Inishmore. Under the previous Minister, approximately €10 million was spent on installing pontoons at Rossaveel, but they were never disability-proofed to ensure wheelchair access. That access can only be provided at certain times. Much needs to be considered. The boat services that connect the islands with bus services and, subsequently, rail services must be examined. Members of the Minister of State's party in Galway would be progressive in terms of the Gluas initiative, that is, a Luas system for Galway city to take cars off the roads. We support this initiative, but such connectivity is required across all Departments.

We must also consider the traffic chaos in Galway city. Last week, the poor members of Fine Gael suffered that chaos. They will appreciate how difficult it is to get through the city when money is not being invested in necessary infrastructure.

Mar fhocal scoir, bheinn ag rá go bhfuilimid ag tacú, i bprionsabal, go mbéadh comh-órdú idir na seirbhísí ar fad. Ach caithfimid breathnú ar an rud seo go huilíoch. Caithfimid breathnú ar na seirbhísí bus agus traenach. Níor luamar West on Track, an ráille traenach nó an gá atá le seirbhís traenach ón iar-thuaisceart go dtí an iar-dheisceart agus le dé-bhealach - nó dual carriageway - a dhul ón iar-thuaisceart go dtí an iar-dheisceart. Ní gá go mbéadh gach rud ag teacht amach as Baile Átha Cliath amháin. Ba cheart go mbéadh muid in ann taisteal suas agus aníos chósta an iarthair chomh tapaidh céanna agus chomh héifeachtach céanna. All these services connect with each other. We need the Government to take all of this on board. Despite our being in times of fiscal restraint, rural transport should not be cut back. Rather I believe more money should be put into it.