Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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222. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has provided funding for the replacement of buses in use by the rural transport programme. [48605/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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My Department provides both current and capital funding for the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) to the National Transport Authority (NTA) which has, since 2012, national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the RTP. The RTP now operates under the "Local Link" brand.

On 07 November last I replied to the Deputy's Question (ref no 47034) regarding the amounts of current funding allocated to the RTP.

My Department has provided approximately €2.5m in capital funding towards the RTP from 2012 to 2016. The capital allocation for this year is €650,000 and this level has been maintained for next year under Budget 2018. Capital funding is provided for projects such as the development of an Integrated Transport Management System, IT hardware and software and the development of a driver/passenger App. No capital funding has been provided for the replacement of buses used in the provision of Local Link services.