Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 643: To ask the Minister for Transport the input his Department has in regard to organising funding and determining routes and so on for the rural transport initiative; the amount of funding his Department supplies to the scheme; the way this amount is determined; the way the committee or executive is determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14274/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 646: To ask the Minister for Transport if he will seek or provide the necessary funding to include an area (details supplied) in County Kildare on the routes of the rural transport initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14128/07]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 650: To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department has an input into determining routes for the rural transport initiative; the funding his Department provides to the scheme; the way the organisation of the scheme is determined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14273/07]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 643, 646 and 650 together.

Last February, I announced the arrangements for a new Rural Transport Programme (RTP). This new Programme builds on the success of the pilot Rural Transport Initiative (2000-2006) and puts it on a permanent mainstreamed basis with significantly increased funding. In line with Towards 2106 — the new Social Partnership Agreement, the Government has made available some €9 million for the Rural Transport Programme in 2007; this compares with €4.5 million in 2005. The National Development Plan 2007-2013 — Transforming Ireland, commits some €90 million to the Rural Transport Programme over its full term.

Pobal administers the RTP on behalf of my Department and makes specific allocations to individual RTP groups from funding provided by my Department. Neither I, nor my Department have any function in relation to specific allocations to individual groups. However, I have asked Pobal to work closely with the RTP groups to maximise the impact of the funding through, among other things, increased service provision and wider area coverage. Similarly, the RTP groups, working with Pobal, are solely responsible for deciding on the specific services to be provided and the methods of provision.