A trial project scheduling hospital appointments to suit the bus timetable should be used as a model for other health boards, the organisers have said.
The Midland Health Board has agreed to try to schedule hospital appointments in Tullamore and Mullingar to suit the new Longford/Mullingar/Tullamore public transport service which started last week.
The pilot project is an initiative between Bus Eireann, Longford Community Resources and the health board. Bus Eireann envisages up to 30 people using the service for hospital appointments by June, in addition to day trippers.
Up to last week, there was no public transport between Longford and Tullamore, and while a bus and train service runs between Longford and Mullingar, the times may not suit hospital appointments.
Mullingar is the county hospital for Longford while Tullamore hospital specialises in orthopaedic and ear, nose and throat services.
"It was particularly difficult for older people and children with hospital appointments," said Ms Terri McGourty, development worker with Longford Community Resources.
Now the service stops at Longford, Mullingar and Tullamore, as well as the smaller towns of Edgeworthstown, Rathowen, Ballinea, Dysart, Castletowngeoghegan and Kilbeggan.
"Everyone is not going to get an appointment between the bus's arrival and departure but we hope that as many as possible will benefit," Ms McGourty said. "We would encourage people to tell hospital staff that they need an appointment during these hours."
A spokeswoman for the Midland Health Board said the board was hopeful that as many patients as possible would be facilitated with the new arrangement.
Other communities should copy this plan, according to Ms McGourty. "There is such a demand for transport out there. We have established a good model for other communities to look at."
However, while local transport services may have improved, industrial problems continue to delay the introduction of extra peak-time services for commuters travelling between Longford and Dublin.
Train drivers are seeking clarification on Iarnrod Eireann's deal with DART drivers before they operate these extra services. A new morning peak-time service from Longford to Dublin and an evening service from Dublin to Mullingar have been planned. The Labour Court is now examining the issue.
Meanwhile, reports that the Arrow commuter service would be extended to Tullamore this year have been denied by Iarnrod Eireann.
Mr Barry Kenny, a company spokesman, said there were no plans to do this for at least four years. He pointed out that the company was involved in a £270 million project to upgrade the service from Heuston Station to Kildare. It would take about four years to complete this National Development Plan project. A link to Tullamore may be investigated after that, he said.