I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 190 together.
Expenditure since 2004 by my Department on the Rural Transport Programme (RTP), together with the Free Travel Scheme (FTS) contribution from the Department of Social Protection and funding for the Evening Services Pilot Scheme (ESPS) operated by the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs in the period 2007-2009, are set out in Table 1:
Table 1
Year
|
Expenditure RTP (million)
|
Expenditure FTS (million)
|
Expenditure ESPS
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
2004
|
3.00
|
0.50
|
|
2005
|
4.50
|
0.75
|
|
2006
|
5.10
|
0.85
|
|
2007
|
9.00
|
1.50
|
152,077
|
2008
|
10.00
|
1.50
|
479,328
|
2009
|
11.00
|
1.50
|
326,674
|
2010
|
11.00 (Estimate)
|
1.50 (Estimate)
|
|
The number of transport services operated under the RTP continues to grow as do the number of passenger journeys recorded on those services, details of which are set out in Table 2:
Table 2
|
RTP Services
|
RTP Passenger Journeys
|
2004
|
64,954
|
514,137
|
2005
|
79,914
|
651,391
|
2006
|
93,419
|
791,264
|
2007
|
120,753
|
998,350
|
2008
|
146,771
|
1,200,194
|
2009
|
157,106
|
1,289,025
|
Of the 2009 passengers, 65 percent were Free Travel Pass holders while 79 percent were provided with a door-to-door service. The provision of specific services under the Programme is a matter for Pobal (which administers the RTP on behalf of my Department) and the individual RTP groups who know where the transport needs are in their areas and how best to address them.
The actual amount spent on individual service types is not currently collated. Groups are given overall budgets to provide different models of transport including scheduled services, semi-flexible and demand responsive services depending on the needs identified locally. The annual RTP, Free Travel and ESPS funding in each of the years from 2006-2009 for each of the community transport groups are set out in Tables 3 — 6. I understand from Pobal that the 2010 funding allocations for individual groups have not yet been finalised.
Table 3: 2006
Group
|
Rural Transport Programme
|
Free Travel Scheme
|
Evening Service Pilot Scheme
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
Aughrim-Kilmore Development
|
60,456
|
13,283
|
|
Avondhu Development Group
|
155,308
|
35,666
|
|
BAND
|
74,173
|
|
|
Bantry Rural Transport
|
128,697
|
40,203
|
|
Bealach
|
92,408
|
21,999
|
|
Carlow, Kilkenny & Sth Tipp RTI
|
229,154
|
36,862
|
|
Comharchumann Chleire Teo
|
93,109
|
2,788
|
|
Community of Lough Arrow
|
94,466
|
22,894
|
|
Co Limerick/Nth Cork Transport Group
|
177,230
|
31,569
|
|
Deiske Link
|
185,986
|
30,154
|
|
East Clare Accessible Transport
|
197,104
|
32,568
|
|
IRD Dunhallow
|
118,285
|
32,179
|
|
Kerry Community Transport
|
412,153
|
96,719
|
|
Kilnaleck & District Comm Co-op
|
64,755
|
13,813
|
|
Laois Rural Regeneration Partnership
|
213,737
|
17,924
|
|
Latton Social Services & Development
|
57,729
|
14,882
|
|
Longford Community Resources
|
99,901
|
15,700
|
|
Meath Accessible Transport
|
160,896
|
41,206
|
|
Meitheal Mhaigeo
|
172,448
|
51,319
|
|
North Fingal Rural Transport
|
69,764
|
3,486
|
|
Offaly & Kildare RTI
|
177,818
|
39,471
|
|
Rural Lift
|
128,184
|
26,903
|
|
Seirbhis Iompair Tuaithe Teo
|
88,317
|
23,619
|
|
Siob Teo
|
145,525
|
25,546
|
|
Sligo Leader Partnership
|
113,310
|
22,787
|
|
South East Galway IRD
|
86,249
|
8,217
|
|
South Kildare RTI
|
251,492
|
19,499
|
|
South West Wexford RTI
|
104,808
|
10,903
|
|
South Westmeath Mount Temple
|
134,239
|
40,862
|
|
Tippearary LEADER Group
|
68,741
|
10,672
|
|
Tumna-Shannon Development
|
81,020
|
6,905
|
|
West Offaly Partnership
|
127,196
|
17,608
|
|
Wexford Area Partnership
|
103,523
|
10,982
|
|
Wicklow Rural Transport
|
177,530
|
21,730
|
|
Table 4: 2007
Group
|
Rural Transport Programme
|
Free Travel Scheme
|
Evening Service Pilot Scheme
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
Aughrim-Kilmore Development
|
96,810
|
21,253
|
|
Avondhu Development Group
|
263,013
|
62,139
|
19,255
|
Bantry Rural Transport
|
234,801
|
79,176
|
41,826
|
Bealach
|
186,922
|
34,458
|
|
Carlow, Kilkenny & Sth Tipp RTI
|
457,900
|
62,535
|
|
Comharchumann Chleire Teo
|
148,699
|
3,807
|
|
Community of Lough Arrow
|
163,148
|
42,612
|
|
Co Limerick/Nth Cork Transport Group
|
300,399
|
63,130
|
|
Deiske Link
|
301,781
|
65,267
|
|
East Clare Accessible Transport
|
358,799
|
58,387
|
|
East Cork Area Development
|
12,500
|
|
|
Inishowen Partnership
|
12,500
|
|
|
IRD Dunhallow
|
193,771
|
47,797
|
|
Kerry Community Transport
|
575,798
|
171,346
|
|
Kilnaleck Comm & Co-op Society
|
132,984
|
23,194
|
|
Laois Rural Regeneration Partnership
|
317,858
|
35,458
|
20,039
|
Latton Social Services & Development
|
92,895
|
37,396
|
|
Longford Community Resources
|
229,872
|
26,852
|
|
Louth Leader
|
12,500
|
|
|
Meath Accessible Transport
|
299,164
|
60,173
|
21,824
|
Meitheal Mhaigeo
|
257,626
|
90,430
|
|
North Fingal Rural Transport
|
110,177
|
7,618
|
|
North Tipperary Leader
|
132,024
|
18,695
|
|
Offaly & Kildare RTI
|
271,337
|
63,212
|
|
Rural Lift
|
207,065
|
46,870
|
|
Seirbhis Iompair Tuaithe Teo
|
136,819
|
14,041
|
|
Siob Teo
|
210,153
|
39,862
|
|
Sligo Leader Partnership
|
202,707
|
35,049
|
36,826
|
South East Galway IRD
|
133,849
|
19,640
|
|
South Kildare RTI
|
386,128
|
27,922
|
|
South West Wexford RTI
|
160,498
|
25,316
|
|
South Westmeath Mount Temple
|
284,511
|
65,221
|
|
Tippearary LEADER Group
|
143,208
|
20,399
|
|
Tumna-Shannon Development
|
126,340
|
18,284
|
12,307
|
West Offaly Partnership
|
207,645
|
25,420
|
|
Wexford Area Partnership
|
149,357
|
26,319
|
|
Wicklow Rural Transport
|
320,789
|
35,415
|
|
Table 5: 2008
Group
|
Rural Transport Programme
|
Free Travel Scheme
|
Evening Service Pilot Scheme
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
Aughrim-Kilmore Development
|
114,023
|
23,922
|
|
Avondhu Development Group
|
288,006
|
53,881
|
57,763
|
Bantry Rural Transport
|
287,660
|
82,406
|
119,826
|
Bealach
|
228,704
|
36,472
|
|
Carlow, Kilkenny & Sth Tipp RTI
|
377,940
|
59,900
|
|
Comharchumann Chleire Teo
|
97,680
|
3,942
|
|
Community of Lough Arrow
|
147,240
|
42,908
|
|
Co Limerick/Nth Cork Transport Group
|
313,217
|
62,590
|
|
Deiske Link
|
307,898
|
75,864
|
|
East Clare Accessible Transport
|
340,499
|
53,550
|
|
East Cork Area Development
|
152,500
|
|
|
Galway Rural Development
|
47,150
|
|
|
Inishowen Partnership
|
88,113
|
|
|
IRD Dunhallow
|
192,531
|
67,757
|
|
Kerry Community Transport
|
565,924
|
164,883
|
|
Kilnaleck Comm & Co-op Society
|
166,178
|
24,732
|
|
Laois Rural Regeneration Partnership
|
342,807
|
30,847
|
35,115
|
Latton Social Services & Development
|
133,589
|
42,480
|
|
Longford Community Resources
|
112,837
|
23,510
|
|
Louth Leader
|
75,125
|
|
|
Meath Accessible Transport
|
344,392
|
70,894
|
97,472
|
Meitheal Mhaigeo
|
217,745
|
91,825
|
|
North Fingal Rural Transport
|
149,206
|
7,396
|
|
North Tipperary Leader
|
|
|
|
Offaly & Kildare RTI
|
328,570
|
59,900
|
|
Pairtiocht Ghaeltacht Thir Chonaill
|
201,063
|
30,000
|
30,000
|
Rural Lift
|
232,065
|
78,240
|
|
Seirbhis Iompair Tuaithe Teo
|
190,408
|
11,840
|
|
Siob Teo
|
61,408
|
|
15,405
|
Sligo Leader Partnership
|
187,918
|
33,754
|
86,826
|
South East Galway IRD
|
163,336
|
20,489
|
|
South Kildare RTI
|
323,072
|
23,142
|
|
South West Wexford RTI
|
204,626
|
26,534
|
|
South Westmeath Mount Temple
|
286,037
|
76,109
|
|
Tippearary LEADER Group
|
278,513
|
41,572
|
|
Tumna-Shannon Development
|
108,902
|
22,984
|
36,921
|
West Offaly Partnership
|
223,519
|
22,404
|
|
Wexford Area Partnership
|
202,085
|
29,092
|
|
Wicklow Rural Transport
|
303,694
|
38,933
|
|
Table 6: 2009
Group
|
Rural Transport Programme
|
Free Travel Scheme
|
Evening Service Pilot Scheme
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
Ardcarne Kilmore Roscommon
|
163,019
|
13,468
|
7,993
|
Aughrim-Kilmore Development
|
47,357
|
13,469
|
|
Avondhu Blackwater Development Group
|
263,863
|
43,412
|
12,873
|
Bantry Rural Transport
|
333,568
|
65,721
|
119,436
|
Bealach
|
257,779
|
32,896
|
|
Carlow, Kilkenny & Sth Tipp RTI
|
475,351
|
57,699
|
|
Comharchumann Chleire Teo
|
157,516
|
3,312
|
|
Community of Lough Arrow
|
183,659
|
38,885
|
|
Co Limerick/Nth Cork Transport Group
|
329,877
|
48,910
|
|
Deiske Link
|
310,953
|
65,502
|
|
East Clare Accessible Transport
|
355,825
|
49,134
|
|
East Cork Area Development
|
191,570
|
23,000
|
|
Galway Rural Development
|
114,071
|
11,500
|
|
Inishowen Partnership
|
252,157
|
23,000
|
|
IRD Dunhallow
|
219,944
|
64,273
|
|
Kerry Community Transport
|
610,034
|
131,292
|
|
Kilnaleck Comm & Co-op Society
|
212,929
|
26,535
|
|
Laois Rural Regeneration Partnership
|
342,664
|
31,002
|
44,256
|
Latton Social Services & Development
|
230,130
|
38,191
|
|
Longford Community Resources
|
178,916
|
25,318
|
|
Louth Leader
|
181,117
|
23,000
|
|
Mayo North East Leader
|
142,556
|
|
|
Meath Accessible Transport
|
422,927
|
52,272
|
53,406
|
Meitheal Mhaigeo
|
129,010
|
93,141
|
|
North Fingal Rural Transport
|
164,855
|
8,069
|
|
Offaly & Kildare RTI
|
344,500
|
48,246
|
|
Pairtiocht Ghaeltacht Thir Chonaill
|
242,596
|
33,062
|
15,822
|
Rural Lift
|
231,269
|
59,481
|
|
Seirbhis Iompair Tuaithe Teo
|
274,509
|
19,564
|
|
Sligo Leader Partnership
|
183,849
|
29,086
|
57,888
|
South East Galway IRD
|
166,623
|
19,324
|
|
South Kildare RTI
|
383,215
|
19,587
|
|
South West Wexford RTI
|
177,187
|
33,067
|
|
South Westmeath Mount Temple
|
309,521
|
65,522
|
|
Tippearary LEADER Group
|
255,879
|
41,444
|
|
Tumna-Shannon Development
|
57,930
|
28,213
|
15,000
|
West Offaly Partnership
|
223,341
|
19,500
|
|
Wexford Area Partnership
|
193,292
|
35,529
|
|
Wicklow Rural Partnership
|
334,152
|
40,155
|
|