KEEP THE RURAL BUSES - SCRAP THE MINISTERS CARS

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KEEP THE RURAL BUSES - SCRAP THE MINISTERS CARS

Clonakilty Sinn Féin Town councillor Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin has welcomed the unanimous support he received at this weeks council meeting which condemned the recommendation in the "An Bórd Snip" report to scrap the successful Rural Transport Programme. And today (Friday 4th), he has organised a joint meeting for drivers and passengers who use the Clonakilty based service for 1.00pm at O' Donovan's Hotel.
All over rural Ireland, weekly buses transport pensioners to their local towns for shopping and other services and drop them back at their own homes three hours later.
Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin said that as well as the practical aspect of the service, it also provides a great social dimension as neighbours and friends meet up on the bus, very often the only time they come into contact with each other during the week.
In most cases, the passengers are living alone and have no personal transport, so the service is essential for social interaction.
In Clonakilty buses arrive in the town centre each Friday from four different directions and cover a radius of up to 10 miles from the town. Approx. 60 pensioners avail of the weekly service, which all agree is highly valuable to them, but also efficient, effective and reliable. Now running for nearly two years in the area, Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin said it is one of the few positive things the government has done for rural dwellers, but it is scandalous now that there is a proposal to axe this service - affecting as usual the most vulnerable in our community.
As well as that, it reduces traffic congestion in town, and is environmentally-friendly, as otherwise many of these pensioners would be getting relatives and neighbours to bring them into town in private cars.
He said the buck would stop with the Oireachtas members who will vote on the McCarthy report at some stage, and the six for West Cork were called upon to reject this proposal when the time comes to vote on it.
Today (Friday 4th Sept.), Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin has called a meeting for all the Clonakilty bound passengers and their drivers, for 1.00pm at O' Donovan's Hotel, Clonakilty (when they will all be in town). The idea is to let the passengers and drivers have their say, but also lay plans for the national day of action next Friday 11th and how people want to express their worry and anger about the proposed cut in the service.
Concluding, Cllr. Ó Súilleabháin said: "If the Government are serious about excessive costs and wastage of money, then scrapping the Rural Buses and taking away a lifeline for the most vulnerable is the wrong way to go. Keep the buses and scrap the Ministerial cars. That would be a more effective and less destructive way to save on money"
The three T.D.'s and three Senators for West Cork are invited to come along to the half hour meeting to hear the impact the withdrawal of the service would have on people.


Text of motion passed at Clonakilty Town Council meeting 1st September 2009......
"That this council condemns the recommendation of An Bórd Snip to axe the Rural Transport Programme, which provides a very valuable, successful and efficient service to elderly people in rural areas each week, which sees them transported into local towns for shopping, and other activities. As well as the practical service this provides, it also provides a strong social dimension. Further, that this council writes to all our Oireachtas members of all parties in Cork South West, calling on them to ensure that this service is not axed, and to vote against any proposal that would spell the demise of this service. If passed this motion will be forwarded to the Western Committee of Cork County Council for inclusion on the agenda of their next meeting".