A new State-subsidised bus service that will bring residents to and from rural pubs will be introduced in Kildare this summer.
The 'drink-link', as it is being dubbed, is planned for a number of rural counties and is expected to be introduced by Minister Shane Ross later this week. It will begin in Kildare this June on a trial basis, according to a report in today's Sunday Independent.
The drink-link service will operate mostly on the weekends from 6pm-11pm to help people get to and from their locals as stricter drink driving laws will be introduced this year. The new scheme will see around 188 pub runs according to the report, which will cost the government around €450,000.
It is being brought in as an extension to the Local Link service in rural counties.
Along with Kildare, counties Kerry, Cork, Donegal,Waterford, Wexford, Cavan, Monaghan, Offaly and Laois will have their own 'drink-link' routes from June until December.
The new routes will be operated as an extension of the Local Link service in rural communities.
The idea behind the service is to help encourage people to visit their local pubs and to fight against rural isolation, which is one of the main fears over Minister Ross' harsher drink driving penalties.
According to Minister Ross, Kildare South TD Martin Heydon was one of the party members behind the idea for the service.
"I would like to thank Deputy Martin Heydon and my colleague and Minister of State Brendan Griffin for their help and input to the development of these new services," stated Ross.
"I would also like to acknowledge the work that the NTA and the Local Link Offices have put into this initiative," he said.
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