Niall Blaney (Donegal North East, IND-FF)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 166: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount of funding which has been provided under the rural transport initiative for 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33622/05]

Niall Blaney (Donegal North East, IND-FF)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 167: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount of funding provided under the rural transport initiative for 2005 which has been and is expected to be spent on administration costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33623/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together.

The rural transport initiative, RTI, is a pilot programme that has been operational since 2002. Under the initiative, funding is provided for 34 rural community organisations across the country to address the public transport needs of their areas through the provision of local transport services. I have provided €4.5 million in funding for the RTI in 2005, which is a 50% increase on the provision for 2004.

In line with the principal recommendation of the RTI appraisal in 2004, earlier this year I announced the extension of the pilot initiative to end 2006. I have also announced my intention to make the RTI permanent from 2007 onwards.

Area Development Management Ltd., ADM, administers the RTI on behalf of my Department. Of the €4.5 million allocated for the initiative in 2005, some €350,000 is earmarked for administration and other non-operational costs incurred by ADM.

With regard to administration costs at the group project level, I am conscious of the need to keep these as low as possible. I expressly addressed this issue when announcing the extension of the initiative to 2006, when I called on ADM to work closely with the pilot project groups to maximise the impact of the increased funding and to ensure continued value for money.

However, ADM and the individual RTI project groups are solely responsible for operational aspects of the initiative at local level. Neither my Department nor I has any role in such matters.