Written answers

Tuesday, 20 June 2006

Department of Transport

Rural Transport Services

10:00 pm

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 328: To ask the Minister for Transport the reasons the south Kildare transport initiative does not service the only general hospital in the County, which is Naas General Hospital; if he will investigate the procedure to address this major problem for persons seeking to attend the hospital for clinics or to visit patients and so on and where such persons have to hire taxis due to the lack of public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23712/06]

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Rural Transport Initiative (RTI) is a pilot scheme, under which funding is made available to thirty-four community-based organisations across the country to address the transport needs of their rural areas through the provision of local transport services. South Kildare Community Transport Ltd. is one of the pilot projects being funded under the RTI.

While Pobal administers the RTI on behalf of the Department of Transport, the individual RTI groups are responsible for the operational aspects of the initiative, such as route planning and related matters. My Department has no role in these matters. However, I will convey the Deputy's concerns in the matter to Pobal.

The pilot period for the RTI comes to a close at the end of 2006 and the Minister of Transport, Martin Cullen T.D., has already announced his intention to put the scheme on a permanent footing from 2007 onwards, following a consultation period later in the year to which the public will be invited to respond.

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