Public transport

[Kate P]

The RTI in fact has been renamed the Rural Transport Programme, and gives grants to organisations which will run rural local public transport schemes in accordance with the programme's guidelines.

Now I personally don't believe the government should be in the business of giving grants to people to do things - I think tax incentives are the way to go. I'd far rather see the private sector running things than the government funding them. It would be easy to say that in the absence of private sector involvement, I'd support the RTP, but the existence of the RTP disadvantages the private sector not within the RTP scheme. Maybe the RTP will encourage private sector to get involved with this. Anyway, I would cautiously support the RTP and call on the Government to cut taxes to a nominal level on businesses which provide transport in (a) rural areas, or (b) home from pubs late at night. In fact, screw that. On any companies providing public transport full stop.

Consideration should also be given to privatising Iarnrod Éireann, Bus Éireann, and Dublin Bus.

Funny thing, that.

Because if it had been viable for private companies to pick up old ladies one day a week outside their front doors, check in on the old gents who don't come out when they're expected and phone in advance to check if they're coming, then I think the private sector would have been entrepreneurial enough to get in there.

Fact is, the Rural Transport Initiative/Programme is a ground up programme, run by, mostly, development organisations that have an interest in community and community needs over profits. Giving them grants is the way to go.

We lose that and we are, to borrow your phrase, screwed.

[certain_people]

Or perhaps no-one's done it yet?

I don't know how well the RTI/P works, I don't live in a rural area, I was just giving a general opinion. If you want to tell me anything about it I'd be more than happy to listen.

[Kate P]

Or perhaps no-one's done it yet?

I don't know how well the RTI/P works, I don't live in a rural area, I was just giving a general opinion. If you want to tell me anything about it I'd be more than happy to listen.

The RTI/P works fantastically well, as it happens because it's organic and community led.

In Mayo, for example there are a whole selection of routes all around the county which respond to the needs of locals. I spent some time working with them and the impact of it is incredible. I met people, women mostly, who could not leave their homes from one end of the week to the next and suddenly had a life-line.

The funding allows development organisations to assess the needs of people in their areas, whether it's to help older people who can't and will never drive to access their pension or a community centre where they can chat, do their laundry and behave like the real human beings they are. Or they allow young single parents to access courses or childcare.

Kilkenny runs a ring-a-link service, some counties run regular bus services - virtually every scheme is different.

And the research shows that the most important aspect of rural transport services is not the physical transportation element but the fact that the prospect of meeting and seeing others gives people who are isolated something to live for.

With respect, certain-people, private enterprise is in it for the money. Without grants and the RTI/P elderly and isolated people would be lost.

You can read much more about it on
http://www.pobal.ie/live/RTP/139.html
but you'll need to google the individual programmes to get that warm feeling of knowing that actually, in this country, in a small way, change is happening.

[certain_people]

Thanks, will read that directly! Much appreciated. Do you work in this area?

[Kate P]

Thanks, will read that directly! Much appreciated. Do you work in this area?

No, but I've done some work with and on RTPs. Those who administer them are some of the most passionate people I've ever met. The easiest thing is to probably look at the rural development groups and see what they do. You'll be gobsmacked.