The rural transport initiative is operated by local community groups and provides free or heavily subsidised transport services in isolated rural areas that are served by neither public transport nor taxis.
It has been highly successful and funding is to be doubled to expand the day-time services of the scheme this year.
However, the current scheme is likely to require significant modification if it is to be used as a night-time service to and from pubs for rural dwellers.
A significant proportion of the rural countryside is not covered by the existing scheme, which is targeted at present at marginalised low-income groups.
At present, 93 per cent of its users have no cars, which is in marked contrast to the rural car drivers who publicans say have been staying away from pubs because of the stricter enforcement of the drink-driving laws.
Normally, the services are door-to-door, but are provided only one day a week on specific routes operated under contracted by local transport operators.
The routes are normally serviced by mini-buses which carry about 12 passengers.
The initiative, begun on a pilot basis in 2001, has been consistently extended.
In 2005, there were 75,000 services provided under the transport scheme, which amounted to approximately 650,000 individual passenger trips.
The majority of passengers were pensioners and travelled free of charge. Others travelled at a low or heavily subsidised cost.
Funded by the Department of Transport, the initiative is overseen by Pobail, the umbrella group for local partnership organisations, which funds social inclusion initiatives.
The scheme cost 5.1 million to operate last year, and it will cost 10 million to run the service this year because of an ambitious expansion plan.
It is proposed to establish the scheme on a permanent basis due to its success and Pobail has forwarded proposals to expand existing services to cover a much larger area and to extend the frequency of current services.
- Liam Reid