I propose to take Questions Nos. 612 and 614 together.
A Value for Money and Policy Review of the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) was completed in June 2011 and published in January 2012, following submission to Government. Amongst its recommendations was that options to reduce the administrative budget further could potentially be achieved with the transfer of the Programme to the National Transport Authority (NTA). Following a Government Decision in January 2012 responsibility for the integration of local and rural transport services, including management of the RTP, was assigned to the NTA with effect from 1 April 2012. This includes responsibility for the implementation of the organisational restructuring of the RTP which was recommended in the Value for Money and Policy Review Report.
The restructuring of the RTP was announced in July 2013 and the consolidation of the 35 RTP Groups, which had been delivering RTP services, into 17 Transport Co-ordination Units has recently been completed. The aim of the restructuring is to protect the provision of rural transport services into the future by ensuring a more efficient delivery structure that maximises integration with other State transport services and by making the Programme a sustainable part of the public transport system. The NTA, with its national remit for securing the provision of public passenger transport services, is well placed to develop better links between local and rural transport services and scheduled bus and rail services.