Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he has financially supported or assisted rural transport initiatives to date; his future proposals in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26628/07]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals for rural transport; the expected sources of funding required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26313/07]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his Department have had further contact with the Vintners Association in view of their call to extend the rural transport programme to allow a night time service to rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26520/07]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 123: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to enhance the rural transport option with particular reference to areas not covered by public transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26838/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 40, 46 and 123 together.

As the Deputies will be aware, in many rural areas, there are no public transport services at night. While there are, in the more developed rural areas, either hackney or taxi services, these are at the discretion of the providers of these services and do not provide a guaranteed service to rural people.

It was against this background, therefore, that earlier this year I introduced a new evening transport service, on a pilot basis, to allow rural people to fully participate in the various activities — community, sporting and social — that take place in their areas. The new Scheme also aims to address the market failure that currently exists in this area.

The 34 groups currently delivering the Rural Transport Programme — operated by the Department of Transport — were invited to submit applications to be considered under my Department's new scheme. Following the appraisal of the proposals submitted, seven groups were selected to run the pilot Scheme, namely:

West Cork Rural Transport;

Avondhu Development Group in East Cork;

Meath Accessible/Kilnaleck Community Cavan;

County Sligo LEADER Partnership;

Tumna Shannon Development Company Roscommon;

Síob Teoranta Donegal; and

Laois Trip.

The annual budget for the pilot is €500,000. The first service commenced in June and service numbers and passenger numbers are expected to continue to increase throughout the remainder of the year.

Although still in the early stages, I understand that the services are being very well received by communities and passengers alike. Early indications are that older people, people with a disability and young people are particularly enthusiastic about the new services and new activities are being planned around the availability of services. My intention is to review the scheme after it has been in operation for 12 months and to consider its future in the context of the findings of that evaluation. My Department has had no further contact with the Vintners Association since the introduction of the pilot scheme.

Finally, the Deputies should note that under the Department of Transport's Rural Transport Programme, some €9m is being provided for the Programme in 2007. It is envisaged that this will lead to an increase in the frequency of existing services, extended coverage and additional groups of customers accessing rural transport.