Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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92. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan; when he expects the consultation analysis process to be finalised and a report issued; if he will provide an overview on the intended roll-out of improved services on a phased basis up to 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30614/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport. It is the National Transport Authority (NTA) that has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally. The NTA also has national responsibility for integrated local and rural transport, including management of the Rural Transport Programme which operates under the TFI Local Link brand, and the implementation of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan.

The Deputy will be pleased to learn that the Connecting Ireland consultation process wrapped up in December 2021, and the consultation report was published on the 3rd of May 2022. It is now available online on the NTA's website - www.nationaltransport.ie/connecting-ireland-rural-mobility-plan-public-consultation-report/.

Currently, routes identified through the Connecting Ireland consultation process are being prioritised to provide emergency public transport services to those Ukrainian refugees housed in rural or isolated locations to ensure better access to our local communities. This will be achieved through an acceleration of network improvements, including additional stops, route modifications, and more services with the aim to increase connectivity. Areas such as the Ring of Kerry will avail of such improvements, in practice catering for both existing demands as well as responding to the increased pressures on services where the local population has grown in response to the humanitarian crisis.

For further details on the rollout of the Connecting Ireland plan, I have referred the Deputy's question to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a reply within ten working days.