I propose to take Questions Nos. 274 to 276, inclusive, together.
The Rural Transport Programme (RTP) was created to address social exclusion arising from unmet public transport needs. In April 2012 responsibility for managing the RTP was assigned to the National Transport Authority (NTA) as part of new arrangements for integrated local and rural transport approved by Government in January 2012 to deliver on its commitment in the Programme for Government to maintain and extend the RTP with other local transport services as much as practicable. This role for the NTA, coupled with its national remit for securing the provision of public passenger transport services, enables the development of better links between local and rural transport services and scheduled bus and rail services.
A restructuring of the RTP, announced in July 2013, involved the establishment of 17 Transport Co-ordination Units (TCUs) in place of the 35 RTP Groups which had previously delivered rural transport services. The NTA has replaced the RTP groups as the contracting party for service provision and the new TCUs will manage the contracted services on behalf of the NTA. The NTA was tasked with restructuring the programme to include local authority involvement in delivery of an efficient and effective integrated local and rural transport linking with the wider state and public transport network.
I am not aware of any concerns regarding the operation of the RTP by the NTA or the contractual arrangements with the TCUs. I have however referred your questions to the NTA for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you do not receive a response within ten working days.