Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Transport the policies the Government is adopting to sustain and develop the rural transport programme including its input into Transport 21; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21786/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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While the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) is not part of Transport 21, it operates in parallel with it and supports the aims of that transport investment framework.

Some €9 million was provided for the RTP in 2007, which led to an increase in the frequency of a number of existing services, extended area coverage, and additional groups of passengers accessing rural transport.

€11 million has been allocated for the Rural Transport Programme in 2008 to: support the continued expansion of RTP services and wider area coverage; prepare the ground for further development and consolidation of the RTP in line with commitments in the various Government economic and social policy documents including Towards 2016 and the National Development Plan 2007-2013 which commits some €90 million to the RTP over its full term; and implement pilot cross-border rural community transport services between Fermanagh, south Tyrone and Cavan in line with a recent decision of the North South Ministerial Council.