Some of the problems facing disadvantaged groups in Co Longford, especially those related to access and transport, are being addressed by Longford Community Resources Ltd.
Last night representatives from over 30 groups met in Longford town to choose delegates to sit on a rural transport committee. The Longford Community Resources company has identified the lack of transport in rural areas as a major problem for lone parents and the long-term unemployed .
According to Ms Mary Toher, the next step in resolving the difficulties will be to carry out a study of the needs of the people for whom the services will be provided.
She said the study should be completed by the end of the summer and it was her hope that services could be put in place to address the problems by the autumn.
"We have been very encouraged by what happened in Westmeath where services have been put in place to provide transport to people who need access to services.
"As in Westmeath, we are involving all the existing carriers. The taxis, hackney operators, private bus operators and Bus Eireann have been very helpful.
"There will be no duplication of services or competition with other services but there are clearly areas of need not covered by existing facilities," she said.
One of these was the need for a service to enable Longford people to visit relatives in Mullingar Hospital or attend outreach services.
"We hope to be working with the Midland Health Board on this issue and we are looking forward to their involvement when we get the services going.
"We will be examining the possibility of using the school buses when they become available but that will depend on a whole range of issues, including insurance and availability," she added.
"The whole issue is not so much about transport as access and transport forms part of that. It's our job to ensure that those who need them can reach the services that are available."