I thank Deputy Wall for the question and congratulate him on his election. I look forward to working with him again as we did in Seanad Éireann. He has always been a champion of transport and the Kildare-Dublin axis, and I look forward to working with him in that regard. Our Rural Future, Ireland's national rural development policy, was launched in 2021 following an extensive period of consultation that ensured the policy prioritised responses to the needs identified by stakeholders and the public. Prominent among these was access to public transport services in rural areas, particularly among our young people and vulnerable members of our community or those at risk of social isolation. Measures addressing this issue were a key component of Our Rural Future and reflected the Government's strong commitment to improving rural transport connectivity. The Department of Transport's Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan has delivered real and lasting benefits to rural communities in recent years. For example, more than 145 service improvements have been introduced since 2022, meaning approximately 600,000 people now have access to new or enhanced bus services. Reduced fare initiatives have also been introduced, particularly for young people, and the 90-minute fare has been extended to the end of 2025. These improvements have been welcomed across rural Ireland but we understand there is more to be done. Our most recent engagements with rural citizens suggest that transport services remain among the biggest issues for these communities. That is probably why Government decided to make me the first Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for rural transport. The programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a new our rural future policy from 2026. I am pleased to say that the process of developing this next phase of rural policy has already begun. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, recently launched an online survey to support the development of the new policy. Further stages of public consultation will follow over the coming months, which the Minister, Deputy Calleary, will outline in due course. I have no doubt that, following these engagements, our next rural future policy will again reflect the importance of access to transport services to rural communities. I look forward to working with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to ensure that the new rural development policy from next year will build on the progress we have made to date under Our Rural Future.
Sentiment score: 0.27
I will come back to the Deputy on the Indecon report. I do not have that information to hand. He is right about the M7 and the N40 in Cork. There is a need for all stakeholders to engage properly to see how we can make that a better thoroughfare for motorists and all road users. As the Deputy said, supporting rural Ireland is a priority for Government. Over the last number of years, we have seen 30 projects in the rural development fund for 2024, with €164 million. There was €20 million for 82 town and village renewal scheme projects in April last year. There is €100 million, as the Minister said, in the community recognition fund. There is €109 million in the community centre investment fund. Money is being expended in rural Ireland. As we have said already, it is about connectivity and about ensuring that people have access to travel. We have reduced fares and made public transport accessible. I met the former Minister, Alan Dukes, about Kildare transport. It is a wonderful scheme. I look forward to working with Deputy Wall and others. That scheme is probably an exemplar for other schemes across the country. I will come back to the Deputy about the Indecon report.
Sentiment score: 0.15
I will respond to Deputy Wall first. As he know, Connecting Ireland's rural mobility plan has been a huge success, with 145 new or enhanced services since it began. A total of 240 towns and villages have been connected with, for example, 61 connections to healthcare facilities, 41 higher education facilities and 71 rail services. A total of 600,000 people have access to new and enhanced bus services. In Deputy Wall's county, Kildare, with his constituency being Kildare South, we have seen increased Local Link services, including between Athy and Kilkenny since December last year, the Newbridge to Dunlavin and Kilcullen route which was enhanced in May last year, and since January last year, we have seven daily return services from Naas to Carlow. I take the Deputy's point about the area of Suncroft. I will work with him and Local Link. As I said, I met Alan Dukes recently. It is a phenomenal service, providing great access for people. Deputy Kenny raised the issue of the 215 Blarney route. It has been raised before. Passengers numbers have increased exponentially on the route. We have spoken with Bus Éireann and the NTA about it. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on the Deputy's behalf on that.
Sentiment score: 0.13
I thank Deputy Ward for his question. As members are aware, the LIS is an important support for rural communities in improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, almost €170 million has been provided by the Government to local authorities under the scheme. In April of last year, some €40 million in funding was announced for LIS across all local authorities to cover 2024 and 2025. Department officials have recently opened the 2025 LIS and invited local authorities to submit their lists of priority roads for completion in 2025. Since 2020, Donegal County Council has been allocated over €8.3 million in scheme funding. This figure includes an allocation of €2.79 million for last year and this year. The 2025 return from the council detailing the works it will undertake this year is due to be submitted to my Department shortly. I believe 224 roads have been completed in County Donegal. As the Deputy will appreciate with regard to the areas he mentioned, rather than being allocated on a municipal district basis, scheme funding is allocated on a local authority basis and authorities themselves decide on allocations across their areas. In terms of annual funding allocations, a review of the scheme is carried out by the Department ahead of any new funding announcements in order to ensure allocations across local authorities are made as fairly and efficiently as possible. Department officials, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I work closely with local authorities to ensure that funding is fully utilised. I am, as is the Minister, Deputy Calleary, committed to ensuring the LIS continues to be well funded in the coming years. As we all know, it is a fantastic scheme. It is one that many want to avail of. The Government, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are very committed to engaging to ensure we receive, as we have done year-on-year, an increase in scheme funding. As regards Donegal, the allocation for this year has not yet been submitted.
Sentiment score: 0.28
I agree with the Deputy that it is important we ensure people have accessibility and it is about giving them comfort. Donegal has been very good at spending the money allocated to it and has been very successful, with 224 roads completed. It is about ensuring there is flexibility in certain areas where there are pressure points. I will engage with the Deputy and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, in terms of Donegal County Council looking at the points where there are issues that need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Local authorities are very good at drawing down the money and Donegal has been exceptional in this regard. I look forward to working with it. The base funding has increased year-on-year. It is a capital expenditure scheme. The Government has committed to this scheme. There will be a review of the NDP and we will look for more money for the LIS. Donegal has been very good in this area and I hope it can avail of some of the unspent money in future years. I commend Donegal County Council for the work it has done in spending the allocation. I thank the Deputy for the question.
Sentiment score: 0.39
As the Deputy is aware, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are very committed to this scheme. It is a very important one and at the heart of what we do about rural Ireland. It is about connectivity and it goes back to the question raised by Deputy Wall. It goes back to Deputy Ward's point about people who live way off the road and are trying to-----
Sentiment score: 0.15
-----end social isolation and enhance connectivity. There are different factors when it comes to roads, such as geography, the condition of roads and the amount of road area to be covered. I will communicate the Deputy's point to Donegal County Council. It is a vast and beautiful county. To be fair, the road network has been improved. There may be some areas that need to be enhanced. We have seen a year-on-year increase in the allocation of funding to Donegal. The Department will engage further. It is a matter for the municipal authority as to how the county spends the money already allocated. I encourage the Deputy to engage with the roads director there as well. I thank the Deputy for the question. Deputy Jerry Buttimer: -----social isolation and enhance connectivity. There are different factors around the issue of roads in terms of geography, the conditon of roads and the amount of road area to be covered. I will communicate the point the Deputy made to Donegal County Council because it is a vast county. It is a beautiful county. The road network there has been improved, to be fair. There are some areas that need to be enhancedhnio the allocation to Donegal.
Sentiment score: 0.21