Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I rise to ask the Leader for an urgent debate on the rural transport restructuring programme announced this morning by the Minister of State, Deputy Kelly. I have known the Minister of State for a long time and have always found him to be very affable and a decent man. However, something has gotten to him. I am not sure whether it was Brussels or his new portfolio but he is not thinking clearly in terms of what he is proposing to do.

There are currently 35 programmes operating countrywide, from Donegal along the west coast to Cork, Kerry and so on, under the rural transport scheme. By and large, the scheme has been a huge success. It should be realised that approximately 2.5% of the national budget for transport is allocated to rural transport initiatives. By way of example, the west Cork transport scheme has been in operation for 11 years. It has its own bus fleet provided in the main by way of funding from the scheme's own lottery system, charity events and so on. The lottery system has successfully subvented the programme for many years. A commitment was given that any of the rural transport companies that had their own fleet would not be interfered with under this new system.

The rural transport scheme in west Cork - I am sure this is replicated across the country - also operates a cancer connect system. Under this system, people in areas such as the Beara Peninsula, Skull, Bantry and so on who have cancer and require hospital treatment such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and so on are transported free of charge on a daily and weekly basis to Cork University Hospital and other hospitals. In addition, approximately 30 to 40 retired bus drivers, gardaí and so on have volunteered their services to support this system.

The Minister of State is now proposing that the number of schemes be reduced to 18 or 17 and that they be administered by the local authorities, which is crazy. As I have said previously, the local authorities have difficulty even filling potholes never mind taking on responsibility for local transport schemes that are run and working well. I will go a step further and propose an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister of State, Deputy Kelly, come to the House today to explain in detail the reason he is dismantling a very efficient scheme that has proven itself beyond reasonable doubt. There may be schemes in Ireland that are not operating as well as those in Donegal, west Cork and the west of Ireland but the Minister of State should not be throwing out the grain with the chaff. I urge him to come to the House today to explain this proposal and to rethink it so as not to do damage to a wonderful scheme that is operating successfully in rural Ireland.