[Article] Ó Cuív proposes evening rural bus scheme

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0109/pubs.html

Ó Cuív proposes evening rural bus scheme
09 January 2007 22:22

The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has proposed that an existing rural transport scheme could be extended in the evenings to help isolated people to socialise.

The proposal comes amid concerns about the negative impact of drink driving laws and random breath testing on social life and pubs in rural areas.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland has welcomed the move.

Éamon Ó Cuív said the Department Transport was already in the process of making the rural transport initiative - which provides daytime minibus transport - a permanent nationwide scheme.

He said it could be extended further in the evenings for a modest sum of money.

He denied the plan was designed to encourage drinking.

Mr Ó Cuív told TG4 last night that while the decision rests with the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, the Government would introduce provisions before the General Election.

Many publicans in rural areas have indicated that their livelihoods are under threat because of inadequate alternative transport provisions for customers in the wake of the introduction of random breath-testing.

Mr Ó Cuív told TG4 last night that the Government has been studying the issue of transport to and from rural pubs in this context.

The Chairman of the Road Safety Authority has said he has complete sympathy with the plight of rural drinkers in very remote areas, but that people need to come to terms with stricter drink-driving laws.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Gay Byrne said people needed to amend their ways of life.

BrianD

What a complete waste of public funds! I suppose we'll lay on special taxis for any rural drinker that may have special needs.

Pubs are a commercial business. Let them bear the cost of bringing in their customers.

At the moment every rural and go and socialise in a public house. All they have to do is not consume alcohol. I'm surprised the publicans aren't encouraging this ... there's great margin on coffee sales and soft drinks.

mike65

I have no problem with this, imagine if the Dublin Nite (sic) Link was ended cos it was for people who wanted to have a drink! Which it is, among other things. Should Jackeen publicans (with thier vast wealth) be asked to pay for the service? Nope.

Mike.

AYM

mike65 wrote:

I have no problem with this, imagine if the Dublin Nite (sic) Link was ended cos it was for people who wanted to have a drink! Which it is, among other things. Should Jackeen publicans (with thier vast wealth) be asked to pay for the service? Nope.

Mike.

I presume you're taking the p1ss Mike.

This is an absolute nutjob waste of money to the taxpayer scheme dreamed up by one of the worst TDs, never mind Ministers, in the country.

Nitelink in Dublin makes money - because there is population to support it.

O'Cuiv is the same gobsh1te who lead the charge in cabinet to ease restrictions on one-off housing, the enemy of a viable public transport service.

And we now have to pay for this folly by subsidising drink-link buses.

As Gay Byrne says (gosh, never thought I'd hear myself saying that) people need to amend their ways of life. Finally we are making some headway on reducing road deaths, a disproportionate number of which are drink-driving cases in rural areas. Now, we have shameless vote-grabbing politicians like Lowry and O'Cuiv saying we're destroying the social fabric of areas, and closing rural pubs.

Tough! We're saving lives. We might even encourage a move away from the drink culture which blights this country. If markets change, businesses close, fact of life.

As BrianD says, margins from non-alcoholic drinks make more for publicans anyway. I despair at the bargain basement quality of our public representatives at times.

mike65

I won't argue the point about drink culture - its a bane of the nation but maybe this has highlighted a gap of understanding between Dubs and the rest. Dubs don't have to do that much thinking about how they get home, in the countryside its an everyday issue. If moderstly expanding the rural public transport network is possible at little cost then why not?

Mike.

OTK

I think everyone should have the right to live in the middle of nowhere, if they so choose. I don't feel the rest of us should have to then subsidise the consequently more expensive provision of services that result from choosing to living apart from other human beings.

godtabh

These buses shouldnt be put in place just to get people to and from the pubs of the country. If there is a real need then why not (I dont class going to the pub as a real need). These buses should also be self supporting (again if there is a real need for them their shouldnt be a problem)

Victor

kearnsr wrote:

These buses shouldnt be put in place just to get people to and from the pubs of the country. If there is a real need then why not (I dont class going to the pub as a real need). These buses should also be self supporting (again if there is a real need for them their shouldnt be a problem)

The passenger profile on the existing rural transport scheme is something like 10% fare paying and 60% pensioners (I'm not sure what the others are).

Avns1s

OTK wrote:

I think everyone should have the right to live in the middle of nowhere, if they so choose. I don't feel the rest of us should have to then subsidise the consequently more expensive provision of services that result from choosing to living apart from other human beings.

Who said it's free?

BTW Is Dublin Bus subsidised by the taxpayer?? (And I do know the answer!)

Avns1s

Victor wrote:

The passenger profile on the existing rural transport scheme is something like 10% fare paying and 60% pensioners (I'm not sure what the others are).

So the inference is that we should stop Rural Transport and by extension, all public transport because OAP use their free travel passes?

Smiley101

A rural public transport system is definitely needed at this stage and it doesn't have to cost the tax payer either. Instead the government should allow tax breaks in the form of VRT or VAT to private individuals or rural publicans who wish to provide a rural public transport system. This would provide a valuable service to rural communities and help prevent the demise of the country pub and country living. 800 pubs have closed outside of Dublin over the last three years, it would be a shame to lose the country pub which acts as the hub of a rural community

Victor

Avns1s wrote:

Who said it's free? BTW Is Dublin Bus subsidised by the taxpayer?? (And I do know the answer!)

Dublin Bus receives payment for providing certain non-profitable services at the governments request.

Nitelink is a profitable service provided for out of Dublin Bus's own resources.

gjim

A rural public transport system is definitely needed at this stage and it doesn't have to cost the tax payer either. Instead the government should allow tax breaks in the form of VRT or VAT to private individuals or rural publicans who wish to provide a rural public transport system.

How does that not cost money, ffs?

I wonder why politicians aren't proposing scrapping VRT and VAT altogether, since it wouldn't "cost the tax payer". :rolleyes: After that give income tax exemption for having a pair of lungs - wouldn't cost a a thing either.

You should have been an accountant for Enron.

TAX BREAKS COST MONEY!

dowlingm

Well, if the price of a pint in rural areas was raised to Dublin prices and the difference paid into a rural transport fund we'd have LUAS to Ballygobackwards in no time

Seth Brundle

I completely disagree with this proposal.
I live in Leixlip but am originally from the other side of the city. If I decide to visit my folks or friends I can either pay (a lot!) for a taxi, pay to use bus or train (if they are running) or to drive and not drink. I tend to do the latter.
I still have plenty of options available (non-alcoholic beer, soft drinks, coffee, etc.) and I still get to enjoy mysef.
Now, given that Im being responsible and paying to do so, why should people who live in rural areas get treated differently from me?

DeepBlue

This sounds like a very good idea and kudos to the Minister for proposing it.

Smiley101

gjim wrote:

How does that not cost money, ffs?

I wonder why politicians aren't proposing scrapping VRT and VAT altogether, since it wouldn't "cost the tax payer". :rolleyes: After that give income tax exemption for having a pair of lungs - wouldn't cost a a thing either.

You should have been an accountant for Enron.

TAX BREAKS COST MONEY!

Your smart arse comments are not constructive.
A rural transport system is needed. I've just mentioned one way in which it can be acheived. Can you come up with any constructive ideas????

godtabh

kbannon wrote:

I completely disagree with this proposal.
I live in Leixlip but am originally from the other side of the city. If I decide to visit my folks or friends I can either pay (a lot!) for a taxi, pay to use bus or train (if they are running) or to drive and not drink. I tend to do the latter.
I still have plenty of options available (non-alcoholic beer, soft drinks, coffee, etc.) and I still get to enjoy mysef.
Now, given that Im being responsible and paying to do so, why should people who live in rural areas get treated differently from me?

I would agree with what you say.

As I said if there is a need for rural public transport then fine but if the only reason we have it is because people need to get to the pub then I wouldnt bother with it

Heinrich

Of course a rural tyransport system is needed. However, with the current mess of a traffic system in Ireland there is a lot to be done and providing busses to bring the boozers home is not contributing to the solution.

If one choses to live in a rural area when the accommodation, booze etc. is cheaper that is their choice but please don't expect the taxpayer to further subside your lifestyle...

Bicycles is the answer.

Victor

DeepBlue wrote:

This sounds like a very good idea and kudos to the Minister for proposing it.

Its not his idea, its my idea. http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055029866

Seth Brundle

Victor wrote:

Its not his idea, its my idea.

grr