TFI Local Link, or simply Local Link, is a set of local bus services in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

which provide local public transport in rural areas, typically linking villages to local towns. As well as scheduled services, Local Link provides bookable door-to-door services for those with reduced mobility. Managed by

Transport for Ireland The National Transport Authority ( ga, Údarás Náisiúnta Iompair) or NTA is the transport authority for Greater Dublin and the public transport licensing agency for Ireland. It was established under the provisions of the ''Dublin Transport Au ...

(TFI), the services are publicly subsidised.

History

A 2002 pilot project "Rural Transport Initiative" was started to look into unaddressed transport needs, giving rise to a "Rural Transport Programme". Services were originally managed locally by voluntary groups. A 2013 restructuring of management reduced the large number of local groups to a number of "Transport Co-ordination Units" (subsequently branded as "Local Link offices"). Funding is from the government's Public Service Obligation via the National Transport Authority (NTA) under its Transport for Ireland (TFI) brand. In February 2023, the government proposed a large expansion of Local Link services.

Services

Bus services are managed by TFI and operated by a large number of local operators (400 as at 2021). As of 2023, Local Link services were managed by 15 local offices. These offices cover: * Donegal Sligo Leitrim * Cavan Monaghan * Mayo * Galway * Longford Westmeath Roscommon * Louth Meath Fingal * Laois Offaly * Kildare & South Dublin * Limerick Clare * Tipperary * Carlow Kilkenny Wicklow * Kerry * Cork * Waterford * Wexford

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official website
Bus transport in the Republic of Ireland