Some £3.5 million has been allocated to fund transport services in rural areas to tackle rural social exclusion.
The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, who announced the Rural Transport Initiative (RTI) in Athlone yesterday, said between 70 and 80 applications from groups around the State had been received.
"There is great interest right around the country, particularly among the elderly, people living alone, handicapped people, also people with young children. Rural Ireland wants to go and do its shopping as does urban Ireland," she said.
Applications for funding under the pilot scheme should submit what she described as a "good thought-out plan", and it was expected that these would come from community groups. Local statutory bodies, such as health boards and local authorities, would be encouraged to support and aid in these applications.
A closing date for proposals has been set for August 15th, although the scheme will run until 2003. Details of the whole process will be given at seminars on Monday, July 9th, in Sligo; on July 10th in Kilkenny; and on July 11th in Killarney.
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