Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Transport the status of an expression of interest submitted to his Department by North Galway Transport Advisory Committee to provide a rural transport service to north east Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15533/07]

Paddy McHugh (Galway East, Independent)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Transport if approval will be given to provide a rural transport service to cover the north east Galway region to enable elderly people with no transportation of their own to be provided with transport to local towns and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15534/07]

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 195 together.

Last February, I announced the arrangements for a new Rural Transport Programme (RTP) which is being administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department. 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. The provision of transport for older people and people with disabilities is a core feature of the new programme and all thirty-four of the currently funded groups provide these services.

Pobal are co-ordinating a facilitated process to ensure national coverage for the RTP. The aim of this process is to make recommendations with respect to the optimum formal structural arrangements to manage the RTP at local level into the future and to achieve national coverage. I understand that consultants have been contracted by Pobal to carry out work in that regard, which will be undertaken on a phased basis.

Once the areas that currently have coverage within the RTP are agreed, the consultants will be examining areas where there are gaps in coverage. I am advised that it is likely that work in the Galway and Roscommon areas will be initiated in May. Pobal advise that all expressions of interest received with respect to this area, including that from the North Galway Transport Advisory Committee, are held on file and will be considered. Pobal also advise that some funding has been reserved within the Programme specifically for new areas.