Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Transport if a bus run currently operated by a person (details supplied) in County Galway conveying elderly people in north Galway to Tuam would come under the aegis of the rural transport initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8438/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the service referred to by the Deputy is a private bus service operating under a licence issued by my Department but not involved in the rural transport initiative, RTI.

The RTI is a pilot scheme, under which funding is made available to 34 community based organisations across the country to address the transport needs of their rural areas through the provision of local transport services. Pobal administers the RTI on behalf of my Department and, together with the RTI groups concerned, is responsible for all the operational aspects of the initiative, including the areas to be served. My Department has no role in these matters.

The pilot period for the RTI comes to a close at the end of 2006 and I have already announced that I intend to put it on a permanent footing from 2007 onwards. Proposals for the roll out of the RTI from 2007 onwards are currently in preparation and, in due course, will form the basis for a public consultation process. In developing proposals for the post 2006 period I will pay particular attention to the needs of rural communities that do not currently have access to public transport.