Mc Laughlin calls for Rural Transport Initiative In Churchill and other areas
Issued : Wednesday 28 March, 2007
Siobhan Mc Laughlin Labour Party candidate in Donegal North East has commited her support to the establishment of rural transport initiatives in the constituency.
Siobhan says that she has met many people in the constituency in rural areas who are totally frustrated with the lack of public or rural transport initiatives in their area.
Siobhan stated that she has attended two public meetings in Churchill where local people have highlighted that a free bus pass is of no use to you in the area as there is no public transport. Elderly people with no cars have great difficulty getting in to collect pension, to go shopping, to visit people, to attend doctors or to get in to Letterkenny. Siobhan said that it was pointed out at the meeting that it is not only elderly people in the area who have free bus passes but others also who say that the pashas no use in Churchill.
Siobhan Mc Laughlin has met people who have told her that anyone without a car in rural areas in the constituency are having access problems. We have local services such as small post offices being closed down but no consideration for their users on how to access the next nearest post office. GP services at week ends and evenings have been centralised and you are mostly expected to come in unless you are seriously ill or incapacitated. If there is no transport it is made further difficult to set to GP at week end.
Rural development has been an area highlighted by many agencies over the last ten years. Labour in government in this constituency will value rural communities by working for then equally with urban areas and not putting the emphasis on one over the other. Siobhan states that she will towards promoting quality of life for all residents and the sustainiblity of rural communities in Ireland. "W should start with developing rural transport initiatives in the constituency and identify opportunities for increasing the public transport service which is available presently to address the needs of rural communities.
