Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 157: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he has provided funding to groups involved in providing rural transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12721/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I refer the Deputy to my reply to question 232 of 20th February 2008.

As the Deputy is 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 in May 2007 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. Funding of €500,000 was pledged for the one-year pilot, and to date €125,000 has been expended by my Department on this particular project. Thirty-four groups currently deliver the Rural Transport Programme, which is operated by the Department of Transport.

My intention is that the pilot Scheme will be reviewed after a year and decisions in relation to its future will be informed by the outcome of the evaluation. Assistance is also available, through this Department, for the purchase of vehicles to provide a mini bus service on the Islands, for the purposes of providing community transport.