Kelly backs rural transport programme review

Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport, Alan Kelly has outlined the necessity to examine and revise the current delivery mechanisms and structures of the rural transport programme.

In a letter to Clare TD Pat Breen, Minister Kelly stated that funding of €141,831 has already been allocated to Clare Accessible Transport for January to June 2013 with matching funding proposed for July to December 2013.
Minister Kelly said the need to examine and revise structures follows the value for money and policy review of the rural transport programme published last year, which recommended organisational restructuring to achieve efficiencies, as well as the establishment of better alignment between the 35 rural transport programme groups and local authorities.
He emphasised that no decision has been taken and he is hopeful he will be in a position to recommend a new structure later this year.
“I will be ensuring that any future structure for the rural transport programme will be based on community input, local flexibility and involving the voluntary sector. Rural transport is, by its nature, community-based and this will remain under any new structure,” Minister Kelly said.
Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Pat Breen said, “It is important that the rural transport system continues into the future and that the community and voluntary involvement which has been critical to the success of Clare Accessible Transport is recognised in that new structure and I understand that this will be the case.”
Also speaking on the issue in the Dáil earlier this week, Clare deputy Timmy Dooley stressed that Clare Accessible Transport in East Clare provided a cost efficient service and that local authorities did not want the additional responsibility of running rural transport services.
“Clare Accessible Transport carried 50,000 passengers last year on nine low-floor easy access buses on 30 routes at a total cost to the rural transport fund of about €280,000. If that doesn’t represent good value for money I don’t know what does, so I fail to see why you need to restructure the service as it is currently aligned,” Deputy Dooley said.
He added that having spoken to members of the local authority they have said they don’t have the experience of running this service and “they don’t want to take on the increased responsibility”.
Labour Deputy Michael McNamara told the Dáil he suspected the leaking of a draft proposal on the reorganisation of rural transport was designed to frighten people and may have been part of a political agenda.
“The reality is that they have caused a great deal of fear in rural communities. People in such communities have come to rely on these valuable rural transport services to get to HSE appointments and to get around rural Ireland,” he said.
Deputy McNamara said unlike some “I do not have a problem with council involvement” but said there was a concern that Clare County Council does not have a fleet of the specialist buses that Clare Accessible Transport has.
The Clare TD concluded by highlighting that, at present, Clare Accessible Transport already meets the 13% administrative threshold that the Minister of State indicates is desirable.