The 'Drink Link'

whisky_galore · 08-05-2018 11:43am #1

https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/drink-link-buses-to-service-50-rural-communities-841535.html

"A new state-funded 'drink link' bus will service 50 rural communities across Ireland.The bus service will transport rural residents to and from their local pubs between June and December in a bid to tackle rural isolation.
People can also book a place on one of 30 new flexible routes to be brought to and from social events, such as a game of bingo or bridge, or to the pub.

The scheme will serve 19 counties including Kerry, Cork, Waterford, Kildare, Wexford and Monaghan and will operate predominately at weekends from 6pm to 11pm.

The service will be state-subsidised and will operate as an extension as to Local Link service.
It will cost the government around €450,000.
The pilot programme will run for six months before each route is assessed."

BarryD2 · 08-05-2018 12:05pm

How flexible will it be I wonder? At best, this will assist those lucky enough to live near a larger village or town where services may run to. I'd expect there to be vast swathes of rural Ireland without any service.

GoneHome · 08-05-2018 12:13pm

From the Local Link website - "Our services operate semi flexible routes throughout Limerick and can deviate up to 5 miles to pick passengers up at their own doors", so it seems to be quite flexible in that regard.

drunkmonkey · 08-05-2018 12:27pm

What a scam, this is only to try and shut up anyone opposing him, I really question has Shane Ross ever stepped outside the pale. Some counties getting a token gesture, Tipperary one of the largest gets two services both in the south so this is of absolutely no use to anyone north of Cahir the whole way up to laois, no service at all.
The we have the running times, 6-11, he has absolutely no understanding of rural life, the problem isn't getting out it's getting home, no taxi services, no bus services, no train service. What's everyone not on a route to do. Also nobody has any public transport to get to jobs in the morning so he's drink link is of 0 use to most of rural Ireland. I hope it's called out for what it is, a scam.

Easy for Shane to dictate to the rest of the country with a Luas outside his door where he can drink Dutch gold and get wherever he wants on public service.

Hypocrisy of the highest order from Shane Ross

salmocab · 08-05-2018 12:31pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

What a scam, this is only to try and shut up anyone opposing him, I really question has Shane Ross ever stepped outside the pale. Some counties getting a token gesture, Tipperary one of the largest gets two services both in the south so this is of absolutely no use to anyone north of Cahir the whole way up to laois, no service at all.
The we have the running times, 6-11, he has absolutely no understanding of rural life, the problem isn't getting out it's getting home, no taxi services, no bus services, no train service. What's everyone not on a route to do. Also nobody has any public transport to get to jobs in the morning after living in the country so he's drink link is of 0 use to most of rural Ireland. I hope it's called out for what it is, a scam.

Easy for Shane to dictate to the rest of the country with a Luas outside his door where he can drink Dutch gold and get wherever he wants on public service.

Hypocrisy of the highest order from Shane Ross

Whilst your right about Ross, he’s a waste of tax money what do you want for rural Ireland that will solve this issue?

Macy0161 · 08-05-2018 12:48pm

I wouldn't be his biggest fan either, but... they say they accepted every proposed route, and it's a pilot!

drunkmonkey · 08-05-2018 1:14pm

salmocab wrote: »

Whilst your right about Ross, he’s a waste of tax money what do you want for rural Ireland that will solve this issue?

A proper public transport service, this isn't a solution. If you want to tackle it fast, make it a stipulation on taxi/hackeny licences that all areas have access to transport 24/7 where no bus or train service exists and those details are published. If we have to subsidize drivers for quite nights to be on call so be it, everyone gets home all the time just like in the city's.
It's needs to be a full country plan, for example if there's a big concert in Dublin Irish Rail will put on special trains. The one going south stops in Limerick junction and Cork so again no use to anyone in rural Ireland even though it passes plenty of stations to let people off.

The country is in a jocker due to the third world transport network, a good one would even solve a lot of the housing problem in Dublin, if it took 30 minutes to get from Limerick to Dublin on high speed trains you wouldn't have a housing crisis.

Hurrache · 08-05-2018 1:30pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

What a scam, this is only to try and shut up anyone opposing him, I really question has Shane Ross ever stepped outside the pale. Some counties getting a token gesture, Tipperary one of the largest gets two services both in the south so this is of absolutely no use to anyone north of Cahir the whole way up to laois, no service at all.

Can't blame Ross on that one, it's due to the fact that nobody applied to operate in those counties. He said this morning that every provider that applied to operate the service was given permission, and those places with none is because there was no applications there.

magicbastarder · 08-05-2018 1:32pm

my wife grew up 4km from the nearest town, and my parents in law are still in the same house. most of their neighbours have no link to the countryside, apart from simply wanting to live there. it's their choice to live where they do, why should we be subsidising a bus service for them?

i've no issue whatsoever with providing a service to people who do have cause to live where they do, such as the farmers who are neighbours of theirs.

drunkmonkey · 08-05-2018 1:40pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

my wife grew up 4km from the nearest town, and my parents in law are still in the same house. most of their neighbours have no link to the countryside, apart from simply wanting to live there. it's their choice to live where they do, why should we be subsidising a bus service for them?

i've no issue whatsoever with providing a service to people who do have cause to live where they do, such as the farmers who are neighbours of theirs.

Swing that around and why should anyone outside the pale subsidize the Luas, Dublin bus, Irish Rail etc. It's their choice to live in the city. I paid over €90 for a same day return ticket last week and the journey took about as long as it takes to go from one end of the dart line to the other.

My issue is there is no transport outside Friday and Saturday night, and Ross's scheme runs on Friday and Saturday when there's isn't a problem.

This lower limit is deadly in the morning time Monday to Friday and there are no services for anyone in rural Ireland. It affects them more than anyone else. Ross doesn't give a crap though not something that will ever effect him with a Luas outside his door.

magicbastarder · 08-05-2018 1:45pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Swing that around and why should anyone outside the pale subsidize the Luas, Dublin bus, Irish Rail etc. It's their choice to live in the city.

one simple answer is that dublin and the other cities generate the tax revenue in ireland. i think only six counties in total take in more in tax than they spend locally. dublin is quite literally subsidising most of the rest of the country.

anyway, it wasn't meant to be an urban vs. rural thing. we should be encouraging people to live in or near towns and villages, but when i go cycling around north county dublin, i'm seeing a lot of one off houses (newly built or being built) which are nowhere near any services, condemning the owners to a life of car driving. why do we still allow this?

Nermal · 08-05-2018 1:48pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Swing that around and why should anyone outside the pale subsidize the Luas, Dublin bus, Irish Rail etc.

They don't.

LeinsterDub · 08-05-2018 1:56pm

Is this service free?

drunkmonkey · 08-05-2018 2:43pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

one simple answer is that dublin and the other cities generate the tax revenue in ireland. i think only six counties in total take in more in tax than they spend locally. dublin is quite literally subsidising most of the rest of the country.

anyway, it wasn't meant to be an urban vs. rural thing. we should be encouraging people to live in or near towns and villages, but when i go cycling around north county dublin, i'm seeing a lot of one off houses (newly built or being built) which are nowhere near any services, condemning the owners to a life of car driving. why do we still allow this?

Yes because they won't share the jobs or put any transport infrastructure
outside of Dublin, back to high speed trains it's a little island it shouldn't be as difficulty and expensive to get around.

It is a rural versus city problem, two different ways of life, Ross is trying to bring in a new limit that will effect drivers with no access to public transport for getting to work or socialising. This doesn't affect people who live in city's. They have alternatives.

Mountjoy Mugger · 08-05-2018 2:50pm

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Is this service free?

If you are entitled to free travel, yes. Otherwise you pay a euro or two.

Amirani · 08-05-2018 2:51pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Yes because they won't share the jobs or put any transport infrastructure
outside of Dublin.

Private enterprises don't want to operate in rural Ireland, and with justifiable reason. There's no obligation on them to "share the jobs".

drunkmonkey · 08-05-2018 3:07pm

Amirani wrote: »

Private enterprises don't want to operate in rural Ireland, and with justifiable reason. There's no obligation on them to "share the jobs".

When you have a housing crisis due to overpopulation in one particular area it's time to look at alternatives.

I think your wrong there is an obligation especially with public and semi state jobs, they don't need to be in Dublin.
Private infrastructure will move outisde Dublin if the transport infrastructure is there.

LeinsterDub · 08-05-2018 3:12pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

When you have a housing crisis due to overpopulation in one particular area it's time to look at alternatives.

I think your wrong there is an obligation especially with public and semi state jobs, they don't need to be in Dublin.
Private infrastructure will move outisde Dublin if the transport infrastructure is there.

The alternatives should be towns and villages not fields in the middle of no where.

howiya · 08-05-2018 6:10pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Yes because they won't share the jobs or put any transport infrastructure
outside of Dublin, back to high speed trains it's a little island it shouldn't be as difficulty and expensive to get around.

It is a rural versus city problem, two different ways of life, Ross is trying to bring in a new limit that will effect drivers with no access to public transport for getting to work or socialising. This doesn't affect people who live in city's. They have alternatives.

Shane Ross isn't trying to bring in a new limit. He's changing the penalties for being over the limit

Spanish Eyes · 08-05-2018 10:08pm

Gas the way the Nanny State is bringing in MUP to stop us drinking, but there we are now, bringing a bus to every boreen in the country to help them have a drink.

But I wonder are the publicans contributing at all to this? If not they can just shut up right now.

I agree with a pp. And I have very rural connections too for the record.... if you want to live in an isolated place that's your choice.

drunkmonkey · 08-05-2018 11:00pm

Deedsie wrote: »

People choose to live in the middle of nowhere and then complain that there are no services to get them to and from the pub. Why is it the states problem? Move into a town or village or maybe give up the booze.

Why is it the states problem if they have a beer and drive home in the middle of nowhere. Let the wildlings to it.

Being put off the road can have a life changing impact if you live in rural Ireland versus the impact on people with access to public transport. Leave it alone until you fix the underlying problem
Sort out public transport first then you can have 0 tolerance. It just needs orginaston we have the infrastructure less the bullet trains.

50 rural routes, seriously, has he any idea how many rurals there are.

Nothing but time waisting by Ross trying to dodge real work.

Experience_day · 08-05-2018 11:02pm

Shane Ross has to be one of the most dislikeable people going. Also vaguely corrupt, but probably more than likely just retarded.

howiya · 08-05-2018 11:39pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Why is it the states problem if they have a beer and drive home in the middle of nowhere. Let the wildlings to it.

Being put off the road can have a life changing impact if you live in rural Ireland versus the impact on people with access to public transport.

So you're in favour of drink driving?

If people can't afford to be put off the road, why would they do something that has the potential to have them banned from driving?

It has nothing to do with access to public transport. If you don't do the crime you won't do the time.

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 12:16am

I'm in favour of sensible enforceable laws and for safe ways for all people to commute. That's everything from better zebra crossing lighting to catching drunk drivers.

I've no beef with pint and a half man.

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 8:41am

Deedsie wrote: »

Just tell us how we can fix rural transport in Tipperary? That's where you said you were from I think? 63% and increasing people in Ireland live in urban areas already.

I said 2 routes in the south of the country, it doesn't even scratch the surface, some counties have nothing.
You need joined up national transport planning and subsidize taxi drivers to be available on nights there would normally be no cover.
Rural taxis aren't like Dublin there all individuals, in Dublin there can be a lot of drivers available and one of them takes the pick up, this doesn't happen outisde the citys. Maybe country level taxi groups all working on the one system, something like Hailo.
Also bus routes that run more than 1 time a day.
Back to my example about getting out of Dublin after a concert, Irish Rail running trains after them but only go city to city nobody living in-between can get off. That's a failure of a set up.

Macy0161 · 09-05-2018 8:46am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm in favour of sensible enforceable laws and for safe ways for all people to commute. That's everything from better zebra crossing lighting to catching drunk drivers.

I've no beef with pint and a half man.

People could just go out, and have a pint and a few erdingers alcohol free (which is what I see regularly in my local). I'd rather not share the road with people over the limit driving when I am complying with the law and walking home from the pub. Ironically for the publicans/ drink driver campaigners hiding behind rural isolation, I know people who won't go out to the pub because they don't feel safe walking home because of the fear of drink drivers on the roads. Actually I know a couple of oap's who won't drive at night because of it too!

I live in a rural area, outside a village - I don't feel it is my "entitlement" to either drink drive or have a bus. I made my choice where to live with my eyes wide open to this (and other potential issues)!

09-05-2018 9:19am

This thread resembles a conversation with members of the occupy movement

Point
Logical counter point
Yeah well, what about......... (changes topic)

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 9:35am

Wouldn't Uber solve a lot of issues, letting locals make a few quid and solve the whole problem.
I know for city's the taxi drivers don't want it but for the countryside it makes perfect sense, a lot more than this sham of a drink link.

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 9:58am

Deedsie wrote: »

Hailo MyTaxi is a private company, do you not think if it was a viable business MyTaxi would already be active in these rural areas? You make the choice to live down a boreen, off a side road 10 km from your closest town, you can not expect to be provided with public transport.

I am 100% for investing in Public transport. But linking towns and cities where the majority of people live and that is where the majority of money should be spent.

I am from and live in a rural town in the midwest

The towns don't have public transport either, it's not as easy as saying move to the nearest village or town. Invest in joining up the towns or just give us Uber and we'll do it ourselves.
Even with the 50% funding for this scheme is not a sustainable business. That's obvious from the extremely low take up.

LeinsterDub · 09-05-2018 10:02am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

The towns don't have public transport either, it's not as easy as saying move to the nearest village or town. Invest in joining up the towns or just give us Uber and we'll do it ourselves.
Even with the 50% funding for this scheme is not a sustainable business. That's obvious from the extremely low take up.

If you live in the town you can walk. What does joining up the towns mean?

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 10:06am

LeinsterDub wrote: »

If you live in the town you can walk. What does joining up the towns mean?

If your trying to get from one town to the other.

Del2005 · 09-05-2018 2:56pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

The towns don't have public transport either, it's not as easy as saying move to the nearest village or town. Invest in joining up the towns or just give us Uber and we'll do it ourselves.
Even with the 50% funding for this scheme is not a sustainable business. That's obvious from the extremely low take up.

The reason the towns don't have public transport is because no one lives in the town and the reason why public transport won't work for the rest of the areas is because people don't live in the town. If the public transport serves enough people to be viable then no one will use it because it takes too long and if they shorten the journey they have to decide who to cut. Our rural public transport is different to every other country in Europe, due to our ribbon development, and European countries struggle with rural transport, so ours is never going to be fixed till people stop living along the roads.

As for the DUI. I live in Dublin but if we were going to a pub with bad transport home then one of us would drive and drink minerals or water. If these rural dwellers are only going out for the company then they can drink tea or coffee or water like the rest of the responsible people do. Having 1 or 2 pints does nothing to the vast majority of people but put them over the limit.

Hurrache · 09-05-2018 4:41pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

The towns don't have public transport either, it's not as easy as saying move to the nearest village or town. Invest in joining up the towns or just give us Uber and we'll do it ourselves.
Even with the 50% funding for this scheme is not a sustainable business. That's obvious from the extremely low take up.

The pub in my local village, can't actually call it a village as all that's there is a church, a pub, a school and a petrol station, had a full carpark each weekend morning just gone. They operate a drop off service and it's obviously working based on the number of cars left overnight.

The locals, and local publican, don't be whinging to the state that it's the states responsibility to facilitate them going to the pub each weekend and having some alcohol. This is a prime example, and I know there's others, of how a business can actually do something for itself and overcome what others will see as an obstacle they can't overcome.

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 4:57pm

Yes it's the morning collecting their cars and being put off the road staight away is the problem.
This is severe for any rural people and a thing of nothing for people serviced by public transport like Ross. They can still function, it's as good as amputation in the countryside.

Del2005 · 09-05-2018 5:07pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Yes it's the morning collecting their cars and being put off the road staight away is the problem.
This is severe for any rural people and a thing of nothing for people serviced by public transport like Ross. They can still function, it's as good as amputation in the countryside.

If they choose to DUI it doesn't matter what time they do it's still illegal, if they went out for 1 or 2 they'd be over that night but safe in the morning.

If I'm going to have a feed of pints I ensure that I don't need to drive for 12 or more hours, if I have to drive early the next day then I don't drink. Your points are about people wanting to DUI, why do you have to drink to excess if you are only going out for to be social?

Hurrache · 09-05-2018 5:09pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Yes it's the morning collecting their cars and being put off the road staight away is the problem.
This is severe for any rural people and a thing of nothing for people serviced by public transport like Ross. They can still function, it's as good as amputation in the countryside.

Unless you're absolutely on the piss and up early to pick up the car there's no issue. 3,4, 5 pints and a sleep you've nothing to worry about.

When I collected mine at 10.30 I was one of the first do so that morning.

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 5:54pm

How do you know you weren't over the limit?

Missing my point that it's a lot more severe a penalty depending on your access to public transport.

Del2005 · 09-05-2018 6:58pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

How do you know you weren't over the limit?

You don't get put off the road for being under the limit

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Missing my point that it's a lot more severe a penalty depending on your access to public transport.

So then you don't go mental on the sauce and drive the next day.

Hurrache · 09-05-2018 10:57pm

drunkmonkey wrote: »

How do you know you weren't over the limit?

Missing my point that it's a lot more severe a penalty depending on your access to public transport.

4 pints and almost 11 hours since I finished the 4th. Logic tells me.

And I have no public transport at my doorstep but somehow I manage to survive.

drunkmonkey · 09-05-2018 11:51pm

Hurrache wrote: »

4 pints and almost 11 hours since I finished the 4th. Logic tells me.

And I have no public transport at my doorstep but somehow I manage to survive.

4 Erdingers and you were over the limit, off the road straight away.

You'd be glad of public transport then.

Hurrache · 10-05-2018 12:14am

Just as well I didn't have 4 of those and meet a Garda checkpoint 11 hours later then isn't it.

And if I did, I have the smarts to leave it longer to collect the car. And if I really needed to be on the road early, I wouldn't have those 4 Erdingers.

It's really not that complicated or difficult.

drunkmonkey · 10-05-2018 12:35am

Hurrache wrote: »

But it's now clear your real issue is with day time checkpoints.

The issue is not being able to get from point A to B at night and point C in the morning.

Fine it's sorted where your are but not for a lot of people, try and relate rather than just thinking of your personal situation.

This is an opportunity to do something good and it's a crock of crap.

Come up with some alternative suggestions rather than assumptions about what I might think, this is about Ross and the drink link.

Hurrache · 10-05-2018 12:59am

Come up with alternative suggestions? Did you even read my first post on how a alternative suggestion can be so successful for businesses and customers alike. My father in law lives in a stereotypical isolated rural area and even he can get out to the pub a few times a week.

Are you just interested in putting the hand out to the state to facilitate your drinking?

If it's about Ross and the drink link why are you so obsessed with daytime check points?

17togo · 10-05-2018 1:34am

Sorry if it's been mentioned before, but I think there should be some kind of connection between the pub owner and providing a service to their customers. So a part of the stipulations of getting a licence would be to provide a minibus service. Obviously there should be some financial incentive for them too ie tax breaks of some sort! A public transport system will never service the areas that the Healy raes are on about, have you seen where some of the pubs of rural Ireland are located!

drunkmonkey · 10-05-2018 1:39am

Yes I want all the money's and daytime checkpoints gone. Will you listen to yourself, I thought you had the smarts.

I want a way of getting around and not to just to the pub, I'm not asking for a licence to drink and drive but I am in favour of not making the rules any harsher due to the serious outcome of the changes and the disproportionate effect it has on anyone not served by somekind of transport outisde of Friday and Saturday night.

I think Uber is the answer in the short term, it would have a more immediate effect nationwide. It would just make it so much easier to get lifts locally all the time.

Clare is already trying the idea http://www.thejournal.ie/rural-transport-clare-3894810-Mar2018/

Del2005 · 10-05-2018 8:26am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I think Uber is the answer in the short term, it would have a more immediate effect nationwide. It would just make it so much easier to get lifts locally all the time.

Clare is already trying the idea http://www.thejournal.ie/rural-transport-clare-3894810-Mar2018/

We already have Uber and before that hackney's. The people in rural areas won't use it so there's no service available. Do you think that there's a market for someone to pay €000s in insurance for a few nights a week worth of work?

What's to stop people car sharing and then they can save on the taxi/hackney fare home?

Macy0161 · 10-05-2018 8:29am

When I was a teenager, it was the teenagers themselves that organised the bus from the village into the town/ nightclub, including drop off's. I guess there wasn't the same entitlement culture back in the 90's!

The J Stands for Jay · 10-05-2018 8:43am

17togo wrote: »

A public transport system will never service the areas that the Healy raes are on about, have you seen where some of the pubs of rural Ireland are located!

HealyRae is a lunatic that should be put off the roads. The local guards should be waiting around his house on weekend mornings to breathalyse him; he's very strongly insinuated he's a drink driver. On his way up to the big shmoke to tell Shane Ross not to criminalise parents (?!) on Primetime, he tried to drive within 6 inches of my bumper on the M8.

drunkmonkey · 10-05-2018 9:05am

Del2005 wrote: »

We already have Uber and before that hackney's. The people in rural areas won't use it so there's no service available. Do you think that there's a market for someone to pay €000s in insurance for a few nights a week worth of work?

What's to stop people car sharing and then they can save on the taxi/hackney fare home?

We don't have Uber it was banned from operating in the country.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/uber-banned-from-operating-private-car-rides-in-ireland-1.3169768

If we did have it and it's only a few trips people shouldn't be crippled with insurance for providing a needed service.
Yes it's not good for Taxi's but if there not willing to provide cover outside weekends people should be able to avail ot an alternative.

drunkmonkey · 10-05-2018 9:06am

McGaggs wrote: »

HealyRae is a lunatic that should be put off the roads. The local guards should be waiting around his house on weekend mornings to breathalyse him; he's very strongly insinuated he's a drink driver. On his way up to the big shmoke to tell Shane Ross not to criminalise parents (?!) on Primetime, he tried to drive within 6 inches of my bumper on the M8.

He doesn't drink.

Hurrache · 10-05-2018 9:23am

drunkmonkey wrote: »

We don't have Uber it was banned from operating in the country.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/uber-banned-from-operating-private-car-rides-in-ireland-1.3169768

If we did have it and it's only a few trips people shouldn't be crippled with insurance for providing a needed service.
Yes it's not good for Taxi's but if there not willing to provide cover outside weekends people should be able to avail ot an alternative.

What's wrong with the local hackneys and mini bus operators? Or even a bit of local entrepreneurship? Why won't a taxi driver operate on a weekend, the most lucrative time of the week, off to the pub?

People in rural areas didn't have a great public transport service and it was pulled from under them all of a sudden. They've managed for generations up until now. Nothing is changing.

The 'Drink Link'

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