Frank Feighan
Question:468 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons who currently avail of the rural transport scheme in County Roscommon. [1496/11]
View answerWednesday, 12 January 2011
Questions (417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 422)
Frank Feighan
Question:469 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Transport the number of persons who currently avail of the rural transport scheme in County Leitrim. [1497/11]
View answerFrank Feighan
Question:470 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Transport the amount of funding that was allocated to County Roscommon under the rural transport scheme in 2009 and 2010 and the allocations for the county in 2011. [1498/11]
View answerFrank Feighan
Question:471 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Transport the amount of funding allocated to County Leitrim under the rural transport scheme in 2009 and 2010 and the allocations for the county in 2011. [1499/11]
View answerFrank Feighan
Question:472 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Transport the degree to which the rural transport schemes in County Roscommon will be affected by the reduction in overall national funding for the scheme in Budget 2011. [1500/11]
View answerFrank Feighan
Question:473 Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Transport the degree to which the rural transport schemes in County Leitrim will be affected by the reduction in overall national funding for the scheme in Budget 2011. [1501/11]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 468 to 473, inclusive, together.
Pobal administers the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) on behalf of my Department. I understand from Pobal that the average number of passengers per month for counties Roscommon and Leitrim in 2010 were 3,543 and 3,062 respectively. The RTP funding allocations for 2009 and 2010 for those counties were as follows: County Roscommon: 2009, €163,019; 2010, €202,408. County Leitrim: 2009, €231,269; 2010 €307,370.
It is understood from Pobal that preliminary allocations will be made to the RTP groups for the early part of 2011 to facilitate the maintenance of services pending the outcome of the current Value for Money and Policy Review of the RTP, the Report of which is nearing completion.
The RTP like many other expenditure areas, is not immune from the effects of the challenging economic position facing the country. However the impact for 2011 is confined to a reduction of some 3.6% on the 2010 allocation for the Programme. I have every confidence that the RTP funded community transport groups will rise to any resulting challenges.