Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 643: To ask the Minister for Transport the position regarding the rural transport programme in view of the revised Programme for Government; if he will make a commitment that this scheme will not be abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38053/09]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 646: To ask the Minister for Transport if the existing rural transport initiative will be retained; the way the scheme will be extended; and his plans following the recent announcement. [38257/09]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 648: To ask the Minister for Transport the number of passengers carried by providers covered by the rural transport subsidy scheme for the years 2004 to 2008 together with an estimate of the number for 2009 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38272/09]

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 655: To ask the Minister for Transport, in view of the revised Programme for Government, if he will confirm that the existing providers of the Rural Transport Programme will continue to receive grant assistance to provide services to the public; and if he plans to dismantle the existing service and replace it with one provided by Bus Éireann. [38591/09]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 674: To ask the Minister for Transport the position regarding the rural transport programme which uses 36 local companies nationwide in order to deliver its services; and if he will make a statement regarding its future viability. [39002/09]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 643, 646, 648, 655 and 674 together.

There are commitments to the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) in the National Development Plan, Towards 2016 and the Department of Transport's Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005. The renewed Government Programme also contains a commitment to explore the provision of a full-scale transport system in rural areas using the network expertise of Bus Eireann and the resources of the school and health transport systems.

The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes recommended the abolition of the RTP. The Government will consider the Group's recommendations as part of its preparations for Budget 2010. The Government has also referred the Group's report to the Oireachtas Committee on Finance and General Affairs for consideration prior to the Budget.

Separate to and before the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, my Department had decided that a Value for Money Review would be undertaken on the RTP in 2010. Subject to the outcome of the deliberations and decisions referred to earlier, it is the intention to proceed with the review next year and all relevant matters relating to the operation of the Programme will be examined.

On rural transport generally, it is important that existing resources in this area are utilised as cost-effectively as possible and in that context a number of initiatives are currently underway exploring the potential for improved synergies between existing transport providers (namely, the Health Service Executive for health transport, Department of Education and Science for school transport, Bus Éireann for rural transport, and Pobal for RTP services). These initiatives involve pilot transport projects in the North East and North West, an exercise to map all transport services in County Louth and a cross-border pilot rural community transport project under the auspices of the British/Irish Council. The outcome of these initiatives will feed into the process for developing rural transport policy.

The number of passenger journeys recorded on RTP services in the years 2004 to 2008 together with an estimate for 2009 are as follows: