To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) what input her Department has had with the Department for Communities to address the transport issues raised as part of the social strategies under development particularly for older people and people with disability; and (ii) whether she will continue to provide effective funding to enable Community Transport to continue to operate one-to-one and group transport for rural dwellers, older people and people with disabilities.

Senior officials from my Department have been working with the Department for Communities to develop each Social Inclusion Strategy. My officials will be attending workshops with the individual Co-Design Groups during the early part of October in order to progress the Strategies.

I recognise the key role of community transport in providing accessible, affordable transport options across rural and urban communities to those people who are socially isolated and have difficulty accessing public transport. My Department provides grant funding to the Rural Community Transport Partnerships (RCTPs) as a contribution towards the delivery of Dial-a-Lift (DAL) services in rural areas, and to Disability Action who manage the Disability Action Transport Scheme (DATS) in urban areas. I remain committed to working hard to ensure my Department continues to support community transport, and the important services that it delivers, within the context of the severe budget constraints faced by my Department.