Brian Walsh (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if a public bike scheme will be operational in County Galway by summer 2012; if a decision was made to roll out such a scheme and if sufficient support from the private sector was forthcoming following the upcoming symposia announced this week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1348/12]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Recognising the success of the Dublinbikes scheme, the Programme for Government commits my Department to look to extend the scheme to other cities and integrate the scheme more effectively with public transport links. Following an analysis, carried out at my request, on the potential for the extension of the Dublinbikes scheme to other cities, consultations on the potential for and means of securing new city bike schemes were launched in November 2011 with symposia held in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Galway to inform and involve key business and civil stakeholders.

My Department and the National Transport Authority are currently considering the responses to those symposia, including how to address key issues identified such as the changed commercial environment to that pertaining when the Dublinbikes scheme was negotiated and different characteristics of scheme provision in smaller cities. I am committed to exploring a range of mechanisms to secure public bike schemes in other cities and work is ongoing in that regard.