Rural communities have called on the Minister for Transport, Mr Cullen, "to go the extra mile" and find €2 million to reverse cuts in the Government's Rural Transport Initiative.
The Rural Transport Network, a lobby group of 34 rural transport schemes, said the allotted €3 million in the Estimates for rural transport "is only the same amount as was made available in 2004 and 2003 and in real terms will mean a cut in services".
According to the secretary of the network, Mr Chris Long, any cuts mean that some people will not be able to access rural transport "which in the country areas means visiting shops, friends or accessing employment".
Mr Long told The Irish Times that the Government "insists on giving many elderly rural people free travel passes, but if there is no bus service they are just no good to them".
He said the Rural Transport Initiative was set up as a pilot project three years ago, but despite its success was still not available nationwide.
Mr Cullen told the group last month that the scheme would be continued in 2005, but when the Estimates were released this month, the amount of money provided was the same as in previous years.
"When you allow for increased costs, inflation, bus depreciation, that is effectively a cut," Mr Long commented.
The network is now seeking another €2 million to cover inflation and the cost of extending the scheme to new areas.
"That is about the cost of just one mile of motorway," said Mr Long. "We are asking the Minister for Transport to go that extra mile for us."
The chief executive of Irish Rural Link, Mr Séamus Boland, has also called on the Minister to provide the additional funding.
"What is clear is that we are going to have to wait until Budget Day to see if some of the problems we are highlighting are going to be addressed."
